WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19,
1984
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STEPS TAKEN TO TIGHTEN LAW ON FIRE HAZARDS
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THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES HAD PUT FORWARD TWO MAJOR PROPOSALS TO AMEND WEAKNESSES IN THE LAW ON FIRE HAZARDS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURIT, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+WE ARE ABOUT TO GO TO THE NEXT STAGE, WHICH IS TO CONSULT WITH THE PUBLIC AND THE INDUSTRY THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, MR JE AFFRESON SAID.
IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THAT ACTIONS BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO MINIMISE FIRE HAZARDS IN DOMESTIC AND FACTORY PREMISES INCLUDED FIRE PREVENTION PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS.
INSPECTIONS OF BUILDINGS ARE ALSO CARRIED OUT BY FIRE OFFICERS WHO ISSUE FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES AS NECESSARY.
+ IF THOSE AGAINST WHOM THE NOTICES ARE ISSUED FAIL TO ABATE THE HAZARDS, THEY ARE PROSECUTED, + MR JE AFFRESON SAID.
IN THE 12 MONTHS TO OCTOBER 1984, THERE WERE 2 791 FIRES IN DOMESTIC BUILDINGS, INCLUDING 1 364 SMALL KITCHEN FIRES WHICH WOULD PREVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS FALSE ALARMS.
IF THESE CASES WERE EXCLUDED, THERE WERE 1 427 FIRES IN DOMESTIC BUILDINGS DURING THE PERIOD, A 23 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE 1 161 FIRES IN THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS.
THE NUMBER OF FIRES IN FACTROY BUILDINGS IN THE 12 MONTHS IS 557, UP 29 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.
MR JEAFFRESON TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT STATISTICS SHOWED THAT IN GENERAL, THERE HAD BEEN AN INCREASE IN FIRES CAUSED BY THE IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF CIGARETTE ENDS AND SUCH LIKE, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT, IN FIRES INVOLVING COOKING STOVES.
+ALSO, WHEN WE LOOK AT STATISTICS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, THE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL APPEARS TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE NUMBER OF FIRES, BOTH IN DOMESTIC AND FACTORY BUILDINGS, HE SAID.
THE LAST SUMMER WAS APPRECIABLY DRYER THAN THE SUMMER OF 1983 AND THAT OF 1982, HE ADDED.
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