Chiayi County Firefighter Drowns During Training, Family's National Compensation Claim Rejected
A Chiayi County Fire Bureau firefighter, surnamed Weng, drowned during dive retraining in 2021. His family's national compensation claim was rejected, with the judge ruling no negligence by the training planners or executors. However, the judge urged the Fire Agency to strengthen equipment and standardize training. The family questioned the cause of death, noting Weng's diving certification and excellent training record.
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 17:50
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 18:01 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 19:38 (1h 36m after Collected)
Chiayi City, April 15 (CNA) A Chiayi County Fire Bureau firefighter, surnamed Weng, drowned during dive retraining in 2021. His parents' national compensation claim was ruled upon today, with the judge rejecting it, considering that the firefighters involved in planning and executing the training were not at fault. The ruling can be appealed. The judge believes the Fire Agency should strengthen equipment to reassure public servants.
According to the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office's non-prosecution disposition, the second brigade of the Chiayi County Fire Bureau conducted dive retraining at Renyitan on September 13, 2021. That afternoon, during U-shaped fixed-point search and other training, the 31-year-old firefighter Weng and firefighter Chang went underwater together. Firefighter Chang reportedly surfaced early due to hyperventilation, but Weng did not surface with him.
The safety instructor immediately dispatched personnel to search underwater. After about 20 minutes, Weng was rescued and rushed to the hospital but could not be saved. The prosecutor's autopsy confirmed drowning.
Firefighters Li and Huang, who served as instructors at the time, were referred for investigation on suspicion of negligent homicide. After professional assessment, the results excluded environmental, mechanical, and human factors, finding no significant flaws. Li and Huang were not prosecuted.
The family believed that Weng was still wearing his mask when rescued, and his air tank had sufficient air. Furthermore, Weng held a diving certification and had excellent training scores, with regular fitness and exercise habits, making an accident unlikely. They filed a national compensation claim against the Chiayi County Fire Bureau.
The Chiayi District Court concluded that firefighter Huang, who planned the training program, complied with the guidelines and precautions for safety management of various disaster relief trainings conducted by fire agencies, fulfilling his duty of care as a good manager, and thus was not negligent.
The Chiayi Court stated that Chief Instructor Li, who executed the training program, did not allow trainees to carry lighting equipment, buddy lines, or personal marker buoys during training, and only used "handshakes" for communication and observed surface bubbles to track positions, all without fault. The Chiayi County Fire Bureau is not liable for national compensation, and Weng's parents' claim for national compensation should be rejected.
The judge believes that the Fire Agency's various training items, required equipment, training content arrangements, and selection of training locations still need to be strengthened with standardized procedures. They can refer to the Navy fleet's diving operation manual or training materials from fire departments in the US and Japan to list details, ensuring that firefighters involved in planning, execution, and participation are aware and have guidelines to follow.
The judge stated that the Fire Agency should establish a professional public safety diving system and a tiered training and certification system, implement professional training and reserve instructor rosters, and allocate budgets to strengthen equipment and technological applications, to reassure public servants so they can be more courageous in their duties and contribute to the nation, and the public can have more confidence in the country. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150415
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According to the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office's non-prosecution disposition, the second brigade of the Chiayi County Fire Bureau conducted dive retraining at Renyitan on September 13, 2021. That afternoon, during U-shaped fixed-point search and other training, the 31-year-old firefighter Weng and firefighter Chang went underwater together. Firefighter Chang reportedly surfaced early due to hyperventilation, but Weng did not surface with him.
The safety instructor immediately dispatched personnel to search underwater. After about 20 minutes, Weng was rescued and rushed to the hospital but could not be saved. The prosecutor's autopsy confirmed drowning.
Firefighters Li and Huang, who served as instructors at the time, were referred for investigation on suspicion of negligent homicide. After professional assessment, the results excluded environmental, mechanical, and human factors, finding no significant flaws. Li and Huang were not prosecuted.
The family believed that Weng was still wearing his mask when rescued, and his air tank had sufficient air. Furthermore, Weng held a diving certification and had excellent training scores, with regular fitness and exercise habits, making an accident unlikely. They filed a national compensation claim against the Chiayi County Fire Bureau.
The Chiayi District Court concluded that firefighter Huang, who planned the training program, complied with the guidelines and precautions for safety management of various disaster relief trainings conducted by fire agencies, fulfilling his duty of care as a good manager, and thus was not negligent.
The Chiayi Court stated that Chief Instructor Li, who executed the training program, did not allow trainees to carry lighting equipment, buddy lines, or personal marker buoys during training, and only used "handshakes" for communication and observed surface bubbles to track positions, all without fault. The Chiayi County Fire Bureau is not liable for national compensation, and Weng's parents' claim for national compensation should be rejected.
The judge believes that the Fire Agency's various training items, required equipment, training content arrangements, and selection of training locations still need to be strengthened with standardized procedures. They can refer to the Navy fleet's diving operation manual or training materials from fire departments in the US and Japan to list details, ensuring that firefighters involved in planning, execution, and participation are aware and have guidelines to follow.
The judge stated that the Fire Agency should establish a professional public safety diving system and a tiered training and certification system, implement professional training and reserve instructor rosters, and allocate budgets to strengthen equipment and technological applications, to reassure public servants so they can be more courageous in their duties and contribute to the nation, and the public can have more confidence in the country. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150415
Stand with the facts, your sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.
FAQ
When and where did firefighter Weng of the Chiayi County Fire Bureau drown?
Firefighter Weng drowned on September 13, 2021, during dive retraining at Renyitan.
Why did the court reject the national compensation claim?
The court rejected the claim, ruling that firefighter Huang, who planned the training, and Chief Instructor Li, who executed it, were not negligent.