XN000022-1977-03-28 — Page 3

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MONDAY, MARCH 28, 1977

OVER 100 FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES ISSUED

AFTER VISIT TO SAN PO KONG FACTORIES

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TODAY CRITICISED A NUMBER OF FACTORY PROPRIETORS AND WORKERS IN SAN PO KONG FOR FAILING TO KEEP THE COMMON MEANS OF ESCAPE IN THEIR BUILDINGS FREE OF OBSTRUCTION DESPITE AN ADVANCE NOTICE OF AN INSPECTION VISIT TO THE AREA LAST WEEK BY FIRE OFFICERS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT DESCRIBED THE RESULT OF THE INSPECTION AS +DEPLORABLE+.

HE POINTED. OUT THAT SAN PO KONG HAD IN FACT A BAD RECORD AS FAR AS THE NUMBER AND SEVERITY OF FIRES WERE CONCERNED,

DURING THE EXTENSIVE TWO-DAY INSPECTION, MORE THAN 20 FIRE OFFICERS CALLED ON 240 FACTORIES IN TSAT PO AND PAT TAT STREETS.

THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE COMMON MEANS OF ESCAPE IN THE MAJORITY OF THESE FACTORIES WERE OBSTRUCTED EITHER BY RAW MATERIAL OR FINISHED PRODUCTS.

OTHER PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY THE OFFICERS INCLUDED UNAUTHORISED ALTERATIONS OR EXTENSIONS, OBSTRUCTION TO FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATIONS AND THE USE OF LIFT LOBBIES OR CENTRAL COMMON CORRIDORS AS STORAGE AREAS.

AS A RESULT, 115 FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES HAVE TO BE ISSUED AND 30 SUMMONSES TAKEN OUT AGAINST THE FACTORIES FOR CONTRAVENTION OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE ABATEMENT NOTICES PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THEM.

SINCE THE AREA INSPECTION SCHEME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED EARLY THIS YEAR, VISITS HAVE BEEN MADE TO FACTORIES IN WONG CHUK HANG AND KWAI CHUNG WITH ENCOURAGING RESULTS.

IN THESE BUILDINGS, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE SUSTAINED PUBLICITY HAD ACHIEVED ITS OBJECTIVE WITH PEOPLE RESPONDING TO IT, THE SPOKESMAN COMMENTED.

+HOWEVER, THE REAL VALUE OF THESE INSPECTIONS RELIES MUCH ON

THE GOODWILL OF THE OCCUPIERS OR OWNERS OF A BUILDING.

+OUR INTENTION IS TO HAVE CLEAR AND UNOBSTRUCTED MEANS OF ESCAPE AND FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND EASILY REACHED.

+AS FIRE LOSSES IN INDUSTRY USUALLY MAKE UP THE GREATER PROPORTION OF TOTAL FIRE LOSSES IN ANY YEAR IN HONG KONG, WE ONLY HOPE THAT THE MANAGEMENT AND WORKERS WILL COME TO ACCEPT THAT SAFETY FROM FIRE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERYONE, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN WARNED THAT IN VIEW OF THE MOST UNSATISFACTORY SITUATION FOUND IN SAN PO KONG, OFFICERS OF THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU, TO BE SUPPORTED BY PERSONNEL FROM THE OPERATIONAL UNITS OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WOULD BE CARRYING OUT FURTHER INSPECTIONS OF THE AREA SHORTLY.

+DETAILS OF THE FORTHCOMING VISIT WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE, HE ADDED.

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