Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/12/15
By: Chang Jung-hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) A man suspected of setting fire to a residence in the southern city of Tainan that killed seven people Saturday, was ordered held incommunicado by a local court on Sunday.

Tainan District Court chief judge Lin Fu-lai (林福來) made the ruling, saying that the suspect surnamed Tseng (曾) had confessed to the arson and manslaughter.

Based on evidence collected by prosecutors and police, Tseng was deemed by the court to have been involved in the fire and, given the minimum penalty of five years in jail, considered a flight risk, Lin said.

Seven people were killed and two injured in the blaze at the three-story building in Tainan's Yujing District early Saturday. The residence was used as a retreat for followers of the Yi Kuan Tao religious sect, according to the city's Fire Bureau.    [FULL  STORY]