XN000022-1977-10-23 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1977

FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU SHOWS INCREASED VIGILANCE

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU CARRIED OUT NEARLY 250,000 INSPECTIONS AND FOLLOW-UP VISITS TO RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG LAST YEAR IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE FIRE HAZARDS.

THE NUMBER REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 56 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

MORE THAN 147,360 INSPECTIONS WERE THE RESULT OF COMPLAINTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. OF THESE, 120,313 RELATED TO BLOCKAGES OF ESCAPE ROUTES IN BUILDINGS, WHILE 27,050 WERE OF A GENERAL NATURE, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 74 AND 70 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

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COMMENTING ON THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED. A FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID. IT

INDICATES AN INCREASING AWARENESS BY THE PUBLIC OF POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS AND A WILLINGNESS TO REPORT THEM.+

IN ADDITION, THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU MADE 12,950 REGULAR VISITS TO BUILDINGS LAST YEAR TO ENSURE THEIR EXITS WERE FREE OF OBSTRUCTION, WHILE 53,400 INSPECTIONS OF FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS WERE CARRIED OUT.

OTHER INSPECTIONS INCLUDED MANUFACTURE AND STORAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS (7,287), RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTCLUBS (4,761) SCHOOLS (3,469), FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATIONS (2,595), CINEMAS AND THEATRES (746), DANCE HALLS (129), TIMBER YARDS (369), NEON SIGNS (78) AND MISCELLANEOUS (2,143).

THE BUREAU ALSO INVESTIGATED IN DEPTH 174 FIRES.

IT ALSO PROCESSED 7,544 NEW BUILDING PLANS AND EXAMINED 1,944 VEHICLES FOR CARRYING COMPRESSED GASES AND INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS UNDER THE SCHEME TO LICENSE SUCH VEHICLES ANNUALLY.

IN ADDITION, 9,705 FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES WERE ISSUED AND 1,874 PROSECUTIONS WERE TAKEN OUT RESULTING IN THE IMPOSITION OF FINES AMOUNTING TO OVER $1,054,980.

DURING THE YEAR, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUREAU'S SCHOOLS AND FACTORIES DIVISION EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PROCESSING OF CHILD CARE CENTRES UNDER THE CHILD CARE CENTRE ORDINANCE OF JUNE 1, 1976. INSPECTIONS MADE BY OFFICERS FOR FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS TOTALLED 1,916.

A NEW HOSPITAL SECTION WAS FORMED IN SEPTEMBER TO CARRY OUT REGULAR VISITS TO ALL HOSPITALS TO ADVISE ON FIRE PROTECTION, ENSURE ADEQUATE FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES AND GIVE LECTURES TO HOSPITAL STAFF ON FIRE PREVENTION, FIRE FIGHTING AND FIRE DRILLS.

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