A 69-year-old patient was accused of starting a fire that killed 12 people in the nursing home ward of a Taiwan hospital.
The suspect, Lin Chi-hsiung, was gravely ill and depressed about his health when he allegedly set Tuesday's fire, chief prosecutor Tseng Chao-kai said.
"When someone is really sick, sometimes, their mental state can become very unstable," Tseng said. "He will be charged with arson and murder although his health could affect his sentencing."
Police found Lin in a storage building behind the Hsinying Hospital in Tainan in southern Taiwan. He confessed to starting the fire in a garment room.
Local media reported that Tseng suffers from terminal cancer, but the prosecutor declined to comment because of privacy concerns.
The fire, which killed 12 elderly patients by smoke inhalation and injured 60 others, was said to be the worst hospital fire in Taiwan's history.
The Department of Health was investigating whether something went wrong in the hospital's safety mechanisms, including sprinklers. A spokeswoman said the hospital had passed a safety inspection three years ago.Author: Lin Yang
Patient accused of starting fatal fire in Taiwan hospital
A 69-year-old patient was accused of starting a fire that killed 12 people in the nursing home ward of a Taiwan hospital.
The suspect, Lin Chi-hsiung, was gravely ill and depressed about his health when he allegedly set Tuesday's fire, chief prosecutor Tseng Chao-kai said.
"When someone is really sick, sometimes, their mental state can become very unstable," Tseng said. "He will be charged with arson and murder although his health could affect his sentencing."
Police found Lin in a storage building behind the Hsinying Hospital in Tainan in southern Taiwan. He confessed to starting the fire in a garment room.
Local media reported that Tseng suffers from terminal cancer, but the prosecutor declined to comment because of privacy concerns.
The fire, which killed 12 elderly patients by smoke inhalation and injured 60 others, was said to be the worst hospital fire in Taiwan's history.
The Department of Health was investigating whether something went wrong in the hospital's safety mechanisms, including sprinklers. A spokeswoman said the hospital had passed a safety inspection three years ago.Author: Lin Yang
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