XN000022-1976-12-23 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1976

OVER 21,800 FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED LAST MONTH

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THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT LAST MONTH CARRIED OUT A TOTAL OF 21,811 INSPECTIONS ON ALL TYPES OF BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.

THE FIGURE REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 70 PER CENT OVER THE FIGURE OF NOVEMBER 1975.

MORE THAN HALF OF LAST MONTH'S INSPECTIONS (12,830) WERE PROMPTED BY COMPLAINTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, OF WHICH 9,641 RELATED TO MEANS OF ESCAPE. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE 1,402 ROUTINE INSPECTIONS OF MEANS OF ESCAPE AND 4,719 VISITS TO FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.

A TOTAL OF 158 VEHICLES USED FOR CONVEYING COMPRESSED GASES AND INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS WERE EXAMINED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SCHEME TO LICENSE SUCH VEHICLES ANNUALLY.

THE BUREAU'S EXPERTS ALSO INVESTIGATED TWELVE FIRES IN DEPTH AND CONDUCTED 116 INSPECTIONS ON CHILD CARE CENTRES DURING THE MONTH TO CHECK ON FIRE SAFETY MEASURES.

INSPECTIONS INVOLVING THE STORAGE OR MANUFACTURE OF DANGEROUS GOODS NUMBERED 556. THERE WERE CLOSE TO 1,400 INSPECTIONS OF SCHOOLS, RESTAURANTS, NIGHTCLUBS, VENTILATION SYSTEMS AND OTHER PLACES OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY.

THE NUMBER OF PLANS RECEIVED AND PROCESSED IN RESPECT OF NEW BUILDING PROJECTS WAS 738.

DURING THE MONTH UNDER REVIEW, 601 FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES WERE ISSUED AND 187 PROSECUTIONS WERE TAKEN OUT RESULTING IN THE IMPOSITION OF FINES AMOUNTING TO MORE THAN $121,400.

MORE THAN 630 ITEMS OF FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND QUARTERS WERE TESTED.

OFFICERS OF THE BUREAU ALSO CONDUCTED 23 FIRE PREVENTION LECTURES FOR THE STAFF OF PRIVATE ESTABLISHMENTS AS WELL AS OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

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