SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1976
130 PROSECUTED BY FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN SEPTEMBER
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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TOOK OUT 130 PROSECUTIONS AGAINST DOMESTIC DWELLERS, COMMERCIAL AND FACTORY PROPRIETORS FOR BREAKING FIRE LAWS IN SEPTEMBER.
THIS RESULTED IN THE IMPOSITION OF FINES AMOUNTING TO $79,670.
THE CASES MAINLY CONCERNED OBSTRUCTION OF STAIRCASES AND MEANS OF ESCAPE (64), FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT REQUIREMENTS (37) AND STORAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS WITHOUT A LICENCE (15). THE REMAINING 14 CASES INVOLVED VARIOUS OTHER OFFENCES.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT THESE WERE THE MOST COMMON OFFENCES.
+THEY DIRECTLY AFFECT THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING, CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SPREAD AND SIZE OF FIRE AND HENCE THE RESULTANT LOSSES FROM SMOKE, HEAT AND WATER,+ HE SAID.
DURING SEPTEMBER, FIRE OFFICERS CONDUCTED 24,300 INSPECTIONS, RE-INSPECTIONS AND FOLLOW-UP VISITS - A RECORD NUMBER SINCE 1974 RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG WITH A VIEW TO ABATING POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS.
TO
MORE THAN 14,590 OF THE INSPECTIONS WERE PROMPTED BY COMPLAINTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, OF WHICH 12,646 RELATED TO BLOCKAGES OF MEANS OF ESCAPE. THERE WERE ALSO 1,213 ROUTINE INSPECTIONS OF MEANS OF ESCAPE AND 5,102 VISITS TO FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.
VISITS WERE MADE TO 435 SCHOOLS, 314 RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTCLUBS AND 157 PLACES OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY. INSPECTION OF VENTILATION SYSTEMS AND FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATIONS IN BUILDINGS AND INDUSTRY TOTALLED 609 AND 386 RESPECTIVELY.
DURING THE SAME MONTH, 174 VEHICLES USED FOR CONVEYING COMPRESSED GASES AND INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS WERE EXAMINED, 664 NEW BUILDING PLANS WERE RECEIVED AND PROCESSED, AND 338 DANGEROUS GOODS AND TIMBER YEARDS STORAGE LICENCES WERE ISSUED OR RENEWED.
IN ADDITION, FIRE OFFICERS CONDUCTED NINE FIRE PREVENTION
LECTURES AND INVESTIGATED 13 FIRES IN DEPTH.
THE NUMBER OF FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER WAS 728.
THE SPOKESMAN URGED THE PUBLIC TO REPORT ANY FIRE HAZARD WHICH THEY OBSERVED TO THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU. HE SAID THE BUREAU MAINTAINED A ROUND-THE-CLOCK ANSWERING SERVICE AND REPORTS COULD BE MADE AT ANY TIME.
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