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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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the incident, I have made a site visit i.e. at the corner above the podium of the Museum of Art. This part is very concealed. Stepping up the patrol is necessary. I wonder if security guards have been recruited. If not, they should be recruited promptly. So I would like to ask whether this has been done?
THE HONOURABLE MAN SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese): Yes, this has been done. We have deployed four security guards to step up patrol in the area.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have two questions for Mr. MAN. Mr. MAN said that the incident happened on the podium of the Museum of Art. As far as I know, the Museum of Art was already closed but the victim had climbed over the fencing. Are there any problems with the design? Since the place was closed, how could the offender and the victim get in? I hope Mr. MAN can answer that. Are there any defects with the design or any improvement measures in the pipeline?
The second question is: After the incident, I have talked to the Police in the Yau Tsim district. They said that the lighting for the Cultural Centre was inadequate. Although it is mentioned in the reply that the outdoor lighting may be improved, I would like to get more specific information. Has any detailed study on improving the illumination of the HKCC been done?
THE HONOURABLE MAN SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese): The first question is on the design of the building. I think the Police is not aware of that particular problem. The podium is very close to the ground floor. If people want to climb over the gates, it is easy to do so. In this regard, we will consider making some improvements. Secondly, about illumination, it depends on your perspectives. Some people think that as the outdoor area of the Cultural Centre is a very exquisite place, it is patronized by many courting couples. They do not want the lights to be too bright. Nevertheless, if we think appropriate lighting is conducive to security, I will be delighted to make improvement.
(2) MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT asked the following question (in Cantonese): On 27 March 1994, a fire broke out near the barbecue place in Shek O, causing the death of a father and his daughter. I would like to ask:
(a) What was the cause of the fire?
(b) What safety measures has the Council taken to prevent recurrence of similar incidents?
(c) Are all barbecue places of the Council equipped with adequate safety facilities?
MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): The question concerns the cause of the fire which broke out in March in Shek O near a barbecue area, the preventive measures the Council has taken and the safety facilities provided to the Council's barbecue sites.
On 27 March 1994 at around 5:30 a.m., a fire broke out at Shek O Village near the barbecue area of Shek O Beach and claimed two lives. The Fire Services Department has set up a taskforce to investigate the cause of the fire. The Fire Services Department advised that the report could not be released as yet before a decision on whether to hold a Coroner's inquest has been taken.
Although the cause of the fire is not yet known, the Department has taken a series of measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents. Corrugated iron sheets were mounted on the day immediately after the incident on the fence separating the village huts and the barbecue area to provide an additional barrier. Additional prominent notices with the words "Please Extinguish Fire Before Leaving" have been put up in the barbecue area to alert barbecuers. To ensure the proper use of the barbecue site and that no barbecue activities are carried out beyond the designated area, night inspections have been increased.
An interdepartmental meeting among Urban Services Department, Regional Services Department, Agriculture and Fisheries Department and Fire Services Department was held on 18 April 1994 to discuss fire safety at barbecue sites. Upon the advice of the Fire Services Department, it was agreed that a fire safety distance of 9 metres will be maintained between any public fixed barbecue pit/stove and the nearest residential properties. In this connection, 11 out of the 38 barbecue pits at Shek O Beach which fall within the 9-metre safety buffer, have now been cancelled.
I am pleased to report that all the existing barbecue sites managed by the Urban Council comply with the fire safety 9-metre rule. The Department will continue to monitor the situation and take advice from Fire Services Department with a view to ensuring that safety facilities are adequate at barbecue sites.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I have a number of supplementary questions. Should I do it altogether or should I do it one by one?
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): All at one go please.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese): Mr. WONG, can you take down the questions please. Mr. Chairman, my first supplementary question is this: Why has the Fire Services Department, up to this point, not been able to inform this Council of the cause of the fire? Why has it taken so long to make a decision on whether to hold a coroner's inquest or not? Is it really necessary for us to wait till the coroner's inquest has been conducted before we will be informed of the cause of the fire? If we are unaware of the cause of the fire, how can we make effective safety measures at barbecue sites? My second question is: Is the 9-metre fire safety distance really adequate? Do we have other precautionary measures that can be put in place? For instance, could we put up shelters at barbecue sites so as to prevent fire from spreading? Or could we put in other fire fighting equipment? For instance, in the country parks, we do have fire fighting bat. Thirdly, in relation to night inspections, we do have staff patrolling the place at night, but there are
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