XN000022-1977-01-21 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1977

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FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU'S FIRST AREA INSPECTION SUCCESSFUL

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THE OVERALL RESULT OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S FIRST AREA INSPECTION IN WONG CHUK HANG WAS DESCRIBED BY A SENIOR FIRE OFFICER AS +GOOD+.

+ IN A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS, THE SITUATION REGARDING OBSTRUCTIONS TO MEANS OF ESCAPE WAS ALL WE COULD EXPECT,+ COMMENTED MR. ALAN JONES, CHIEF FIRE OFFICER (FIRE PREVENTION).

+ IN THESE BUILDINGS, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE SUSTAINED PUBLICITY HAS ACHIEVED ITS OBJECTIVE AND PEOPLE HAD RESPONDED, + HE SAID.

HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT IT WAS REGRETTABLE THAT THE OCCUPANTS IN SOME BUILDINGS HAD IGNORED THE PUBLICITY AND CONDITIONS FOUND IN THEM WERE FAR FROM SATISFACTORY.

+ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AGAINST THE OFFENDERS AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUBJECTED TO ROUTINE VISITS AND INSPECTIONS, + HE WARNED.

DURING THE TWO-DAY INSPECTION WHICH TOOK PLACE ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, A TOTAL OF NINE INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS BETWEEN SIX AND 24 STOREYS HIGH WERE INSPECTED, RESULTING IN THE ISSUE OF 55 FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES. OF THESE, 33 WERE ISSUED ON THE SPOT FOR SIMPLE OBSTRUCTIONS AND THE OTHERS RELATING TO MORE COMPLEX MATTERS ARE STILL BEING PROCESSED.

A NUMBER OF FOLLOW-UP VISITS HAD TAKEN PLACE AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT MORE RE-INSPECTIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

MR. JONES SAID THAT THE TIME AND EFFORT EXPENDED ON THIS OPERATION WERE FULLY JUSTIFIED AND THE ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE IN ADVANCE TO RESIDENTS IN THE AREA THAT INSPECTIONS WERE FORTHCOMING GAVE EVERYONE ADEQUATE TIME AND NOTICE TO CHECK ON THEIR PREMISES.

+WE LET PEOPLE SEE THAT OUR INTENTION IS TO HAVE CLEAR AND UNOBSTRUCTED MEANS OF ESCAPE AND FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE,+ HE POINTED OUT. +WE DO NOT WANT TO HARASS OR TAKE PEOPLE TO COURT WITHOUT PROPER JUSTIFICATION.+