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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1983
SAFETY IN USE OF ELECTRICITY URGED
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AS MANY AS 2 000 FIRES ARE CAUSED EACH YEAR BY ELECTRICAL FAULTS. MR THOMAS GARDINER, DEPUTY CHIEF FIRE OFFICER OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO LAUNCH THE 1983/84 FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN, MR GARDINER EXPLAINED THAT ELECTRICAL SAFETY HAD, THEREFORE, BEEN CHOSEN AS THIS YEAR'S PUBLICITY THEME.
PUBLIC COOPERATION WAS NEEDED TO REDUCE THIS FIGURE AS WAS THE CASE IN REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF FIRE GENERALLY, HE SAID.
+HOWEVER, WITH ELECTRICITY THERE IS SOMETHING OF A DIFFERENCE, AND IT IS NOT ONLY A MATTER OF APPLYING SIMPLE COMMON SENSE,+ HE ADDED.
MR GARDINER POINTED OUT THAT THE WIDE USE OF ELECTRICITY WAS OPEN TO ABUSE, RANGING FROM ILLEGAL TAPPING TO FITTING OR CONNECTION OF WIRES BY PEOPLE WITH LITTLE REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE.
MANY FIRES ATTRIBUTED TO ELECTRICAL ORIGINS WERE CAUSED BY THE USE OF SUB-STANDARD APPLIANCES OR DEVICES AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET.
MR GARDINER ADVISED PURCHASERS TO GO TO REPUTABLE DEALERS ONLY AND TO BE SELECTIVE IN THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT THEY BUY.
HE TOLD THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES WAS CONSIDERING INTRODUCING NEW LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF ELECTRICAL FITTINGS AND INSTALLATIONS.
+MEANWHILE, THE PUBLIC IS URGED TO TAKE CARE AND IF UNSURE IN ANY WAY ON THE SUBJECT OF ELECTRICITY, TO TAKE ADVICE FROM A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN, HE SAID,
MR GARDINER REPORTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.
+BOTH THE TOTALS OF FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES ISSUED AND THE NUMBER OF CASES GOING TO COURT FOR NON COMPLIANCE SHOW A DECREASE, HE SAID.
HE ATTRIBUTED THE DECREASE TO THE INCREASED FIRE SERVICE PRESENCE IN BUILDINGS TO DEAL WITH OBSTRUCTIONS AND THE VERY BIG INCREASE IN MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR FIRE HAZARD OFFENCES, AVERAGING ABOUT $1 800. ON ONE OCCASION A MAXIMUM FINE OF $50 000 WAS IMPOSED, HE SAID..
MR GARDINER ALSO REMINDED THE PUBLIC TO KEEP THE SMOKE- LOBBY DOORS OF THEIR BUILDINGS CLOSED AT ALL TIMES.
HE SAID FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 48 HOSPITALISED IN A FIRE BROKE OUT IN KOWLOON EARLIER THIS YEAR.
/+THE PEOPLE