Taipei's color partygoers were engulfed in fire at a youth party in the evening of June 27 at a water park when rainbow glitters were sprayed to the air and ignited. The shower of flames injured at least 500 people in what spectators described as fire like hell.
According to local fire chief Chen Chung-yueh, the rainbow glitters exploded into flames over the 1000 attendees of Color Play Asia at the Formosa Fun Coast. More than half of the spectators suffered skin burns, Daily Mail UK reported.
The explosion may have been a result of the colorful particles coming in contact with sparks produced by stage lighting equipment, Chen said. The whole stage and the people dancing around it caught fire shortly after it exploded, The Telegraph said.
About 200 people were critically injured and brought to the nearest hospitals. Those with severe burns also suffered respiratory burns caused by inhaling large amount of the powder, health official Lee Lih-jong said.
"The next 24 hours will be critical for those severely injured," Lee added.
Video clips of people burning and running for help were posted in social media. A spectator who witnessed burning skins and blood all over the place described the scene as "hell."
Bloody footprints marked the area as authorities and friends rushed the injured away from the fire using water floaters while the ambulances were on their way. Luckily, no fatalities were reported.
Color Play Asia has been organizing color parties in the past two years, but it was only during the recent event when a grave accident occurred. The water park was reportedly closed for further investigations.