XN000022-1974-11-03 — Page 5

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1974

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SLIGHT DROP IN FIRES THIS YEAR

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THE FIRE SERVICES TODAY REPORTED A SLIGHT DROP IN THE NUMBER OF FIRES DURING THE FIRST 10 HONTHS OF THIS YEAR DUT WARNED THE COMMUNITY AGAINST COMPLACENCY AS THE PEAK FIRE PERIOD IS DY NO MEANS OVER.

DURING THE JANUARY-OCTOBER PERIOD, THERE WERE 5,758 FIRES COMPARED WITI! 5,000 DURING THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR REPRESENTING A DROP OF SLIGHTLY OVER TUO PER CENT,

THERE WERE 17 DEATHS DURING THE PERIOD AND 338 PERSONS WERE INJURED, 29 OF THEM FIREHEN. LOSSES VERE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $37 MILLION, OF WHICH $25 MILLIGN AROSE FROM 295 INDUSTRIAL FIRES.

KOWLOON HAD THE MOST FIRES (2,612) FOLLOWED BY HONG KONG ISLAND (1,805) AND THE NEW TERRITORIES (1,341).

THE MAJOR CAUSES OF FIRES CONTINUED TO BE CARELESS DISPOSAL OF LIGHTED CIGARETTE EIDS AND HATCHES (1,371 FIRES) AND ELECTRICAL FAULTS (816 FINES),

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID IT MAD DEEN EXPECTED THAT 1974 WOULD BE A RECORD YEAR FOR FIRES IN VIEW OF THE EXCEPTIONALLY DRY SUMMER AND THE SHORTAGE OF VATER.

+THIS WAS THE SITUATION BEFORE TYPHOONS CARMEN AND ELAINE, HE SAID. +THESE DROUGHT ||IG!! IUIDITY WHICH IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN KEEPING THE NUMBER OF FIRES DOWN,+

HE ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT THERE WERE TWO OR THREE VERY DRY MONTHS AHEAD, AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CARE IN THEIR HOMES, PLACES OF WORK AND VIEN VISITING THE COUNTRYSIDE. +THE PEAK FIRE PERIOD IS BY NO MEANS OVER,+

HE STRESSED,

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