WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1977
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MEASURES TO REDUCE FIRE HAZARD IN SQUATTER AREAS
AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS
******
THE CURRENT PROGRAMME FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICITY IN SQUATTER AREAS WILL REDUCE THE MAIN FIRE HAZARD WHICH STEMS FROM UNSATISFACTORY ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION,
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES IN REPLY TO A QUESTION RAISED BY THE HON. MISS LYDIA DUNN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE SAID THAT APART FROM FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS CARRIED OUT IN THE SQUATTER AREAS BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FIRE HYDRANTS WERE PROVIDED FROM WATER MAINS AND PUBLIC ROAD GAVE ACCESS TO FIRE SERVICE APPLIANCES,
+ULTIMATELY, BUT IN THE LONG TERM, THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF REDUCING FIRE HAZARD IS BY CLEARANCE OF SQUATTER AREAS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S HOUSING PROGRAMMES ARE DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THIS, + HE EXPLAINED.
REGARDING MEASURES AIMED AT REDUCING FIRE HAZARD IN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY SAID THE PRIMARY CONTROL WAS BY THE APPROVAL OF THE BUILDING PLAN.
+ONCE THIS HAS BEEN GIVEN THERE IS A SYSTEM OF SURPRISE INSPECTIONS TO SEE THAT THE PLAN IS ADHERED TO AND THAT THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO THE STORAGE OF RAW MATERIALS AND FINISHED GOODS IN COMMON AREAS, INCLUDING STAIRCASES, HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT ABOUT 4,000 FACTORIES WERE INSPECTED MONTHLY AND SEVERAL HUNDRED FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES AND PROSECUTIONS WERE INITIATED EACH MONTH AS A RESULT,
HE ADDED: THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT KEEPS THE LAW UNDER REVIEW IN ORDER TO IMPROVE CONTROL POWERS OVER FIRE HAZARDS GENERALLY AND TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF DEVELOPMENTS AS THEY OCCUR.+
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, MR. DAVIES SAID THAT THE FIRE AT MA SIN PAI VILLAGE, TSUEN WAN, ON DECEMBER 5, LAST YEAR IN WHICH ONE PERSON DIED, WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY CHILDREN PLAYING WITH MATCHES.
THE SECRETARY ALSO DISCLOSED THE RESULTS OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO THREE OTHER RECENT FIRES WHICH KILLED SEVEN PERSONS.
HE SAID THE FIRE AT BLOCK 17, CHAI MAN ESTATE, ON DECEMBER 15, IN WHICH ONE PERSON DIED, WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE OVERTURNING OF A LIGHTED NON-PRESSURE TYPE KEROSENE COOKING STOVE.
REGARDING THE BLAZE AT 128 WAI YIP STREET IN KWUN TONG ON DECEMBER 3, HE SAID INVESTIGATIONS WERE CONTINUING. HE HOPED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, IN WHICH FOUR PEOPLE DIED, WOULD PE ASCERTAINED ONCE THE RESULTS OF TESTS, NO BEING CONDUCTED BY THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST, WERE AVAILABLE.
AS FOR THE TWO FIRES IN SHAY SHUI PO, IN EACH OF WHICH ONE PERSON DIED, MR. DAVIES SAID THAT NO EVIDENCE SURVIVED THE FIFE TO ENABLE THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSES.
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