HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL -22 February 1989
香港立法局————— 一九八九年二月二十二日
Oral answer to question
Gas leakage on Tsing Yi Island
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12. 林貝聿嘉議員問:首先,我要多謝主席先生,允許我在短暫期間內,提出一個特別問題。 我想問的是,鑑於社會人士關注本年二月十一日青衣島發生的氣體洩漏事件,政府可否告知本局 過去有多少宗類似事件,目前有甚麼防範和處理此類事件的措施,會否進一步改善這些措施以便 對市民的生命財產提供更大保障,以及是否有計劃將油庫遷離住宅區?
SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS: The incident that occurred at the Hong Kong Oil Company Limited Depot at Tsing Yi Island on 11 February involved a gas leakage from a pressure relief valve on an isolated section of the LPG-receiving pipeline. Our research into the records of the past five years has not revealed any similar incidents, although we have had records of two other incidents involving damage by fire.
Under section 9 of the Dangerous Goods Ordinance, the Director of Fire Services (with the assistance of the Gas Safety Office of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department) ensures that all fittings and equipment are designed, installed and tested in accordance with the appropriate internationally recognized code of practice before a licence to store dangerous goods can be issued.
As part of the licensing conditions, the licensee is required to ensure that all fittings and equipment are maintained in good order and condition to the satisfaction of the Licensing Authority. Staff of the Gas Safety Office carry out quarterly monitoring checks of the installations, and advise the management (either directly or via the Director of Fire Services) of any defects found and remedial measures needed. An annual inspection is also carried out before the Dangerous Goods Licence for each installation is renewed. Under section 9(2) of the Dangerous Goods Ordinance, the Licensing Authority may revoke any licence issued should the management fail to take the required remedial measures, or if there is a breach of licensing conditions.
In addition, the Fire Services Department requires that the licensee reports on accidents, adopt fire fighting procedures and conduct fire drills periodically. In the event of a gas leak occurring, the fire officer-in-charge of the scene would decide on the appropriate fire-fighting, rescue and emergency operations to be adopted to deal with the situation. Depending on the seriousness of the incident, the fire officer-in-charge would decide the appropriate security measures to be adopted by the nearby residents, for example, closing of window; and whether it is necessary to evacuate the residents in the nearby buildings to a place of safety. Police assistance would be required if necessary.