XN000022-1975-10-25 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1975

NEW FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN POSTER

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS PRODUCED A NEW POSTER FOR ITS FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN WHICH EMPHASISES THE DANGER OF FIRE THROUGH OVER-LOADING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS.

THE POSTER HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT HONG KONG. IT SHOWS AN EXPLOSION CAUSED BY TOO MANY PLUGS BEING FITTED WITH ADAPTORS INTO ONE SOCKET. THE SLOGAN READS: +OVERLOADING STARTS FIRE.+

+NEXT TO CARELESS SMOKING, ELECTRICAL FAULTS CAUSE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF FIRES IN HONG KONG,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE SERVICES SAID. HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MANY VERY COSTLY INDUSTRIAL FIRES STEMMED FROM FAULTY ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID OVERLOADING OF ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS AND LACK OF MAINTENANCE WERE PRIME CAUSES OF ELECTRICAL FAULT FIRES. +IN FACTORIES, FOR EXAMPLE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ARE OFTEN TOTALLY NEGLECTED, RESULTING IN BREAKDOWN AND, ULTIMATELY, FIRE.+ TO AVOID SUCH FIRE RISKS, THE SPOKESMAN ADVISED THAT ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN HOMES AND FACTORIES SHOULD DE CHECKED PERIODICALLY AND ANY FAULT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED STRAIGHT AWAY, USING GOOD QUALITY MATERIALS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE LEVEL OF HUMIDITY HAD DROPPED SUBSTANTIALLY AND WOULD DROP EVEN FURTHER IN THE COMING MONTHS, RESULTING IN MUCH DRIER CONDITIONS AND A GREATER FIRE RISK. HE WARNED: +UNLESS PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN, THERE COULD EASILY BE A FURTHER 200 FACTORY FIRES BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF JANUARY.+

THE CAMPAIGN WILL LAST ONE MONTH. BESIDES THE POSTER, THERE ARE TWO LEAFLETS DEALING WITH INDUSTRIAL AND COUNTRYSIDE FIRES. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE CAMPAIGN WILL DE A FIRE PREVENTION EXHIBITION TO HE HELD AT THE OCEAN TERMINAL BETWEEN NOVEMBER 13 AND 17.

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