9
FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1974
HE SAID THAT SOME CLUBS OR RESTAURANTS COULD BE SEEN TO BE COMPLYING WITH FIRE PREVENTION REGULATIONS WHEN VISITED BY OFFICERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT, BUT STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS WERE EASILY CARRIED OUT AND THE FIRE PICTURE COULD BE MADE TO LOOK +VASTLY DIFFERENT WITHIN A SHORT TIME OF THE FIRE SERVICES VISIT, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK CAN OFTEN OVERRIDE ANY 'CONCERN' FOR THE FIRE SAFETY OF AN ESTABLISHMENT AND IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE SERVICE TO BE CONSTANTLY VIGILANT,+ HE SAID.
_FACTORY_MANAGEMENTS, HE NOTED, KNEW BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF DOU DOUBT THAT REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF THEIR ELECTRICAL PLANT WAS ESSENTIAL IF FIRE WAS TO BE AVOIDED, BUT TOO MANY CHOSE TO TAKE RISKS, WITH INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCES. +THEY ARE POSSIBLY QUITE PREPARED TO SPEND LARGE SUMS ON MEASURES TO KEEP VILLAINS OUT, BUT 'WASTING' MONEY ON PREVENTING SOMETHING WHICH ONLY HAPPENS TO THE OTHER FILLOW IS A DIFFERENT MATTER ALTOGETHER.+
THE DIRECTOR SAID THEIR ATTITUDE MIGHT CONCEIVABLY BE DIFFERUNT IF THEY WERE ALL MADE AWARE THAT 80 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S FIRE LOSSES ($99.6 MILLION FOR THE TWO YEARS 1972/74) WERE IN FACTORY FIRES, WHICH REPRESENTED ONLY SIX PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FIRES.
MR. WOOD SAID HE MIGHT SOUND PESSIMISTIC, BUT DECLARED: +MY PESSIMISM IS A RESULT OF TOO MANY YEARS IN THIS BUSINESS= OF SEEING TOO MANY TOTALLY UNNECESSARY FIRES WHICH COULD HAVE DEEN EASILY AVOIDED IF JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF CARE HAD BEEN TAKEN.+
J
/10 ......