FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1979
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47 FACTORY OWNERS GET FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES
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FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU OFFICERS THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING MADE A SURPRISE CHECK IN THE CHAI WAN INDUSTRIAL AREA TO LOOK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS TO MEANS OF ESCAPE, STORAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS WITHOUT LICENCE AND OTHER POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS.
DURING THE THREE-HOUR OPERATION COMMANDED BY DIVISIONAL OFFICER MR. KWAN SAI-YIU, MORE THAN 550 FACTORIES IN 17 INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WERE INSPECTED.
+AS A RESULT, 47 FACTORY OWNERS WILL BE SERVED WITH FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES, MOSTLY FOR GENERAL OBSTRUCTIONS. THE OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE HAZARDS IN 72 HOURS OR ELSE BE SUMMONSED,+ MR. KWAN SAID.
+THEY ARE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $2,000 PLUS A DAILY FINE OF $20 IF THE NOTICES ARE NOT OBSERVED. FOR THOSE WITH PREVIOUS RECORDS, THE MAXIMUM FINE WOULD BE $4,000 AND THE DAILY FINE, $40,+ HE ADDED.
THE CASES
FIRE OFFICERS ALSO FOUND 14 CASES OF ILLEGAL ROOFTOP STRUCTURES USED FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES AND AN UNLICENSED FOODSTALL. WILL BE REFERRED TO THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS FOR ACTION.
MORE THAN 500 FIRE PREVENTION PAMPHLETS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE FACTORIES, REMINDING THEM THAT ALL FIRE EXITS, LIFT LOBBIES, ROOF EXITS AND STAIRCASES SHOULD BE FREE FROM OBSTRUCTION TO MINIMISE FIRE RISK.
+ THE GENERAL SITUATION IN THE CHAI WAN INDUSTRIAL AREA IS QUITE SATISFACTORY. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH IMPROVEMENT IN THE FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES ADOPTED BY FACTORY OWNERS, MR. KWAN SAID.
HE SAID THE OPERATORS GENERALLY WERE CO-OPERATIVE AND WERE AWARE OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN SATISFACTORY FIRE PREVENTION STANDARDS, SPECIALLY ON BLOCKED MEANS OF ESCAPE.
MORE THAN 20 OFFICERS AND 10 SENIOR FIREMEN TOOK PART IN TODAY'S OPERATION.
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