XN000022-1974-10-22 — Page 5

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1974'

NUMBER OF FIRES IN 1972-74 UP BY 50 PER CENT

LOSSES AMOUNTED TO NEARLY $100 MILLION

FOR EVERY TWO FIRES IN 1968/70, THERE WERE THREE IN 1972/74.

THIS ALARMING RISE IS REVEALED IN THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, KR. HARRY WOOD, FOR THE TUO FISCAL YEARS 1972/73 AND 1973/74.

THERE WERE 9,787 FIRES AND 62 DEATHS IN 1968/70- THE RESPECTIVE FIGURES FOR THE TWO YEARS COVERED BY THE REPORT ARE 15,476 AND 108.

THE REPORT STATES: IT IS NOT EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE PHILOSOPHY IN HONG KONG AS REGARDS FIRE SHOULD DE 'IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME', FOR THE TRUTH IS THAT, WITH THE EVER GROWING NUMBER OF FIRES IN THE COLONY, THE CHANCE OF BECOMING A FIRE VICTIM, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE SUFFERING ACONISING INJURY OR EVEN DEATH, GROUS WITH EACH PASSING YEAR.+

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IT CONTINUES: +THROUGH PRESS PUBLICITY, AS WELL AS FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGNS, VISITS AND LECTURES, IT IS HOPED THAT THE MESSAGE 'IT COULD EASILY HAPPEN TO NE UNLESS I TAKE PROPER CARE'- WILL EVENTUALLY BE DRIVEN HOME, TO HOUSEHOLDERS AS WELL AS TO FACTORY AND OFFICE MANAGEMENTS. ONLY THEN, POSSICLY, COULD A DOUNUARD TREND BE SEEN. BUT, IN THE MEANTIME, THE FIRE SERVICES HUST ACT ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE GRAPH WILL CONTINUE ITS UPWARD CLIM3

THERE IS LITTLE AT PRESENT TO SUCCEST THE REVERSE- AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY TO DEAL WITH THIS GROWING TOLL.+

DURING THE TWO-YEAR PERIOD, THE DIRECT FINANCIAL LOSS FROM FIRE WAS $99.6 MILLION, BUT THE REPORT STRESSES THAT THIS ENORMOUS FIGURE TELLS ONLY PART OF THE STORY: IT WOULD BE A GREAT DEAL HIGHER - ONE EXPERT HAS PUT IT AS MUCH AS THREE TIKES - IF THE INDIRECT COSTS OF FIRE COULD BE INCLUDED, SUCH AS, FOR A FACTORY, LOSS OF PRODUCTION, SALES, THE SERVICES OF TRAINED PERSONNEL, GOODWILL, BUSINESS CONFIDENCE, AND, FOR A FAMILY, THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF LOSING ITS HOME.+

THE REPORT GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE TRAGEDY OF THIS WASTE OF

+IF VALUABLE RESOURCES IS THAT IT COULD BE LARGELY AVOIDED. PEOPLE WOULD TAKE GREATER CARE, BE LESS APATHETIC AND ACCEPT THAT THERE ARE SIMPLE MEASURES THEY THEMSELVES CAN TAKE TO PREVENT FIRE FROM BREAKING OUT. THE PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE ANYTHING LIKE AS FRIGHTENING AS IT NOW IS IN HONG KONG.

+FOR EXAMPLE, IF EVERYBODY HAD MADE SURE THAT THEIR CIGARETTES OR MATCHES WERE PROPERLY EXTINGUISHED BEFORE THROWING THEN AVAY, 4,731 FIRES WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IN 1972/73- IF HORE CARE HAD BEEN TAKEN WITH ELECTRICITY, SUCH AS NOT TAMPERING WITH INSTALLATIONS UNLESS PROPERLY QUALIFIED, NOT OVERLOADING SOCKETS, NOT LEAVING APPLIANCES SWITCHED ON DURING ABSENCES OR MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE PROPERLY USED AND MAINTAINED REGULARLY, 2,985 LESS FIRES, MANY OF THEM MAJOR COSTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WOULD HAVE OCCURRED= AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN 669 LESS FIRES, 153 LESS INJURIES AND THREE LESS DEATHS IF, DURING THE TWO YEARS, KEROSENE FIRES AND OIL STOVES HAD BEEN HANDLED WITH THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE.+

/THE REPORT