Prank with Insecticide and Lighter at Hypermarket Costs Taiwanese Man 48 Million Won in Damages

Sprayed Insecticide into Lighter Flame, Causing Fire
Entire Hypermarket Destroyed... 20 Billion Won in Damages

A man in his twenties in Taiwan accidentally burned down an entire hypermarket after spraying insecticide into a lighter flame as a prank. The damage from the fire amounted to 420 million New Taiwan dollars (approximately 20 billion won). As a result, the man now faces both criminal punishment and a massive compensation liability.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

According to local media such as Taiwan's TVBS on June 4 (local time), the incident occurred in the early morning of December 3, 2023, at the Carrefour Zhongyuan branch in Taoyuan City, Taiwan. At the time, Mr. Kuo, who was 20 years old, visited the store with two friends and, while in the basement level 1 cleaning supplies section, picked up an insecticide on display and sprayed it toward a lighter flame as a prank.

Left the Scene After Igniting—Store Engulfed in Flames After Nine Minutes Due to Chain Explosions

Immediately after the act, strong flames and heat flared up, startling the man, who then put down the product and left the scene. However, the flame at the nozzle remained lit.

About nine minutes later, this flame spread to other insecticide products on display nearby, causing a series of explosions. As multiple products containing flammable ingredients reacted simultaneously, the fire quickly spiraled out of control, eventually engulfing the entire store in flames.

As a result of this incident, most of the interior facilities and merchandise within the hypermarket were destroyed, and a coffee specialty shop located inside the store also suffered significant damage. The total damage was estimated at about 420 million New Taiwan dollars, which is roughly 20 billion won.

Criminal Punishment and Civil Compensation Imposed Simultaneously

During the recovery process after the fire, the insurance company filed a recourse lawsuit regarding the losses sustained by the store tenants. The assessed loss, including equipment, interior, and inventory, was estimated at about 970,000 New Taiwan dollars (approximately 48 million won). The court ruled that the defendant, having raised no objections, was to pay this amount with 5% annual interest.

In the criminal trial, arson charges were not recognized. The investigative authorities determined the case to be 'accidental fire caused by negligence,' considering that the man was startled by the sudden flames and failed to take appropriate action. The court sentenced him to six months in prison for destroying a building occupied by people, but allowed him to substitute the sentence by paying a specified fine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.