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SUNDAY, AUGUST 5, 1979
MORE THAN 3,500 FIRES IN SIX MONTHS
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HONG KONG'S FIREMEN BATTLED A TOTAL OF 3,530 FIRES IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR A 10.2 PER CENT INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S FIGURE.
THE FIRES CLAIMED 21 LIVES AND CAUSED INJURY TO 340 PEOPLE, 38 OF THEM FIREMEN, A FIRE SERVICES SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT HE BELIEVED THE MAIN CAUSES OF THE FIRES WERE CARELESS DISPOSAL OF MATCHES AND CIGARETTE ENDS (1,396) AND ELECTRICAL FAULTS (853). THESE TWO CAUSES ALONE ACCOUNTED FOR NEARLY 64 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FIRES.
DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THERE WERE 4,978 FIRE CALLS OF WHICH 1,448 WERE FALSE ALARMS.
+THE MAJORITY OF THE FALSE-ALARM CALLS, THOUGH TIME-CONSUMING, WERE MADE WITH GOOD INTENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER OF FACTORY FIRES ALSO WENT UP FROM 231 FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF LAST YEAR TO 284 THIS YEAR. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FACTORY FIRES IN 1978 WAS 554.
FIREMEN ALSO TACKLED 171 FIRES INVOLVING OVER-TURNED
KEROSENE STOVES- 114 FIRES RESULTING FROM UNATTENDED OR
DEFECTIVE COOKING STOVES, HEATERS AND IRONS AND 189 FIRES CAUSED BY OVER-HEATING OF ENGINES, MOTORS AND MACHINERY.
JANUARY WAS THE BUSIEST WITH FIREMEN RESPONDING TO
1,068 CALLS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
ALSO DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE AMBULANCE COMMAND DEALT WITH A TOTAL OF 95,594 CALLS - -AN INCREASE OF 2,781 MORE CALLS COMPARED WITH THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR.