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I would like to quote a case history which to my mind is a classical example of how the Fire Services Department handles the applications from this Council. On the 24th June of this year, an applicant sent in an application for a food factory licence. The next day the Secretary sent a memo to the Director of Fire Services Department seeking his views regarding fire safety on the premises. No reply was received for three weeks, so the Secretary sent him a reminder on the 16th July. On the 19th July the Secretary received a memo from the Director consisting of two lines saying that he saw no objection provided adequate means of escape were provided to the upper floor tenants.
This was conveyed to the applicant, but since nothing specific was mentioned he had to call on the Fire Services Department to find out the details. The applicant was then told by the Officer on duty that if a metal staircase fire escape was provided on the roof of this factory for the escape of the upper floor tenants, he would approve the premises. No specification was given to the applicant as to how large a metal staircase fire escape was to be constructed. The applicant went ahead and constructed a metal staircase leading to the next-door roof. He applied to this Council again on the 27th September and the Secretary wrote to the Fire Services Department on the 29th. Again there was no reply for three weeks, and the Secretary sent a reminder on the 20th October. The next day the Director of Fire Services wrote back and said that he could not approve the premises because (1) the metal staircase constructed was not wide enough, (2) there was an unauthorized structure on the roof which he also had objection to on the ground of fire hazard. Now the unauthorized structure was already there on the fireman's first visit. Why did he not point this out in the first instance? As to the metal staircase, if the specifications had been given to the applicant he would not have made a mistake. The result is that the applicant had waited for four months and spent some money in the construction of a metal structure, and was yet unsuccessful in getting his licence. All this waste of time and inconvenience to the public could have been avoided if this Council had a better liaison with the Fire Services Department.
Mr. Chairman, I urge that the Fire Services Department should be asked to send a representative to sit on the Food and Food Premises Select Committee.
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN:- Mr. Chairman, I support Mr. CHEONG-LEEN'S Motion to bring the Fire Services under the Council.
The present separation of the Council from the management of the Fire Services results in lack of co-ordination, delay and inconsistency in the way of approach to many problems affecting both the Council and the Fire Services. I put the case of the China Building. Sometime last year, I remember that members of the Food and Food Premises Select Committee, at the request of the Fire Services, attended an emergency meeting to discuss as a matter of urgency the closing down of a restaurant as a fire trap. This request was made to us as the general licensing authority in respect of restaurants. At that meeting the Fire Services indicated wanting to do the same to a number of restaurants in the Central District for the same reason. We sought legal advice on the matter and were told that we lacked the authority to close restaurants even if they constitute a fire hazard, and the matter was left to the Fire Services, which Department has adequate authority to cope with such situations.
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Then several months elapsed. It was not until February this year, after the matter had been raised by members, that we were told that the management had undertaken to improve the safety standards within the restaurant and the building in general by enclosing and lobbying all lifts and staircases in the building to a fireproof standard. It is now over eight months since this information was given and the Council, as the general licensing authority, is still in the dark as to when safety measures will be provided, and whether other restaurants referred to have been requested to effect any improvement. If the Fire Services come under the Council I am sure the policy would have been more consistent and safety measures taken at an earlier date.
MR. SALES: Sir, I yield the floor to my colleagues Dr. BELL and Mr. Wilson WANG.
DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, I support Mr. CHEONG-LEEN'S Motion that the operations of the Fire Services Department within the Urban Areas should come under the management of the Urban Council. In many aspects of our work, for example, in the licensing of food premises and laundries and in the drawing-up of permitted trades in resettlement areas consultation with and co-operation with the Fire Services has been involved. There is quite often a lack of co-ordination between the Fire Services and this Council thus long delays, as you have heard, are incurred and petty difficulties are often put in the way of licensing which would, I am convinced, be ironed out if the Director of Fire Services were a member of this Council. Perhaps, too, it would then be easier to point out to the Fire Services the terrible fire hazards existing in the rear areas of many multi-storey buildings where rubbish has accumulated on building projections and promontories and on back stair exits which should be kept clean, and many other irregularities which seem somehow or other to escape their attention at present throughout the urban areas. At present many restrictions are placed in Resettlement Areas on domestic trades because of fire risk but the remainder of the Urban Area seems to have been peculiarly and unfairly neglected.
Mr. Chairman, while I have criticized some aspects of fire prevention- at the same time I wish to record that I think the Fire Services to be extremely efficient in its fire-fighting efforts and that they do a very
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