WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1978
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FIRE PREVENTION CHECKS ON FACTORIES
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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL SHORTLY ISSUE SUMMONSES AGAINST 10 FACTORY OWNERS IN SHIPYARD LANE, QUARRY BAY FOR BREAKING FIRE SERVICE REGULATIONS FOLLOWING A LARGE SCALE INSPECTION TODAY BY FIRE OFFICERS IN THE AREA.
DURING THE THREE-HOUR INSPECTION WHICH COVERED MORE THAN 330 FACTORY UNITS IN SIX INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS IN THE AREA, THE FIRE OFFICERS ALSO DISCOVERED A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS SUCH AS BLOCKAGES OF STAIRWAYS BY PAPER CARTONS AND UNFINISHED PRODUCTS, OBSTRUCTIONS TO ACCESS AND USING LIFT LOBBIES AS STORAGE AREAS.
AS A RESULT OF THE INSPECTION, ANOTHER 43 FACTORY OWNERS WILL BE SERVED WITH FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES REQUIRING THEM TO CLEAR FIRE HAZARDS IN THEIR PREMISES.
THE FIRE OFFICERS ALSO DISCOVERED UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS IN FOUR OTHER CASES AND THEY WILL BE REFERRED TO THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS FOR ACTION.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE BLOCKAGES OF STAIRWAYS OR LIFT LOBBIES HAD BEEN TOO PREVALENT AN OFFENCE PARTICULARLY IN INDUSTRIAL PREMISES WHERE SUCH PLACES WERE OFTEN REGARDED AS CONVENIENT STORAGE AREAS.
+DESPITE REGULAR INSPECTIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT, FACTORY OWNERS ARE STILL CONSTANTLY VIOLATING FIRE REGULATIONS, REGARDLESS OF THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FACTORY FIRES AND THE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY, HE NOTED.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT FIRE FIGHTING AND ESCAPE FACILITIES MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES.
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