Taichung Escape Rooms Fail Safety Inspections; Opposition Criticizes City Government

An inspection of 32 escape room businesses in Taichung, Taiwan, revealed that 20 operators had safety deficiencies, prompting criticism from the opposition party. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus leader, Chou Yung-hung, accused the city government of dereliction of duty, arguing that the widespread issues indicate a long-term failure to enforce existing safety regulations and a general lack of oversight.

City officials stated that no major safety incidents have occurred at Taichung's escape rooms to date. The recent comprehensive safety check was a proactive measure. While all 32 businesses were found to be properly registered, 20 had operational deficiencies such as inadequately protected sharp objects and improper handling of dangerous materials. These issues are being tracked by relevant departments. Twelve businesses were not actively operating at the time of the inspection.

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The problem is not that operators do not prioritize safety, but that the Lu administration has long failed to implement existing safety regulations and has been negligent in its management, leading to most businesses failing inspection.

Chou Yung-hung pointed out that Taichung initiated this special inspection only after a fatal accident involving an escape room employee in Taipei and subsequent checks in other counties. He criticized the city government's response as reactive, claiming they only address public safety issues after incidents occur, contradicting their "zero tolerance for safety" slogan.

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Taichung City's escape room venues have not experienced any major safety accidents to date. We have completed a comprehensive safety review of 32 businesses to prevent potential issues.

The identified deficiencies spanned fire safety, evacuation routes, lighting, equipment, and public liability insurance, all directly impacting personal safety. The DPP emphasized that escape rooms, with their immersive environments, complex props, and intricate spatial designs, require stricter safety standards than typical entertainment venues. They argued that consistent management by the city government would have prevented such a large number of issues from surfacing in a single inspection.

Furthermore, Chou Yung-hung noted that national guidelines for interactive experience venues, including fire prevention and emergency response protocols, were issued by the Ministry of the Interior in 2017. A consensus was reached in 2018 to classify these venues under building use category "D-1," requiring regular public safety inspections. While New Taipei City has already mandated compliance for its operators, Taichung's government has allegedly neglected enforcement, now planning to introduce its own safety guidelines instead of prioritizing existing ones.

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The city government's response is always slow, addressing public safety issues only after they occur, which contradicts the 'zero tolerance for safety' slogan.