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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1976

STORAGE OF EXCESSIVE QUANTITY OF FUEL DANGEROUS

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TODAY REMINDED HOUSEHOLDERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT STORING MORE THAN THE EXEMPTED QUANTITY OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) AND KEROSENE WITHOUT A LICENCE IS AN OFFENCE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID: +BOTH LPG AND KEROSENE ARE WIDELY USED IN HONG KONG FOR HEATING AND COOKING. HOWEVER, TO STORE LARGE QUANTITIES IN PREMISES IS NOT ONLY AGAINST THE LAW BUT ALSO A DANGEROUS PRACTICE, PARTICULARLY IN THE DRY WINTER MONTHS.+

HE ALSO REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT UNDER THE DANGEROUS GOODS (GENERAL) REGULATIONS, THE QUANTITY OF THESE TWO TYPES OF DANGEROUS GOODS THAT COULD BE KEPT WITHOUT A LICENCE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES WAS FOUR GALLONS OF KEROSENE AND UP TO 100 POUNDS OF LPG.

+POSSESSION OF MORE THAN THESE QUANTITIES IS AN OFFENCE AND PUNISHABLE ON CONVICTION BY A FINE OF $5,000 AND TWO MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT, HE WARNED.

TURNING TO THE CONVEYANCE OF DANGEROUS GOODS ON THE ROADS, THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT IT HAD BEEN A COMMON PRACTICE FOR RETAILERS TO DELIVER KEROSENE ON BICYCLES.

+UNDER SECTION 100(1) OF THE REGULATIONS, NOT MORE THAN TWO FIVE-GALLON TINS OF KEROSENE ARE PERMITTED TO BE CARRIED AT ANY ONE TIME ON ANY BICYCLE, HE STRESSED, ADDING THAT THE PENALTY FOR CONTRAVENING THIS PROVISION COULD BE A FINE OF $1,000.

THE SPOKESMAN FURTHER REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT FIRE PREVENTION OFFICERS WOULD BE CARRYING OUT INSPECTIONS FROM TIME TO TIME ON PREMISES IN RESPECT OF FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATION OR STORAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS.

+ALL FIRE OFFICERS CALLING ON PREMISES ARE USUALLY DRESSED IN FULL UNIFORM,+ HE SAID. +THEY ARE ALSO ISSUED WITH A NUMBERED WARRANT CARD AND A GOVERNMENT IDENTITY CARD BEARING THE HOLDER'S PHOTOGRAPH,

+ IF THEY ARE NOT IN UNIFORM AND CANNOT PRODUCE A WARRANT CARD, INFORM THE FIRE SERVICES OR THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY,✦ THE SPOKÉSMAN ADVISED.

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