XN000022-1979-03-07 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1979

263,685 FIRE INSPECTIONS CARRIED OUT LAST YEAR

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THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT CARRIED OUT 263,685 INSPECTIONS OF ALL TYPES OF PREMISES LAST YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE INSPECTIONS RESULTED IN 9,357 FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES BEING ISSUED AND 5,555 PROSECUTIONS WITH FINES AMOUNTING TO MORE THAN $1.1 MILLION IMPOSED FOR CONTRAVENT NG FIRE REGULATIONS.

COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTED FOR 63 PER CENT OF THE INSPECTIONS, WITH 150,139 RELATING TO MEANS OF ESCAPE AND 16,983 CONCERNING VARIOUS HAZARDS.

APART FROM INVESTIGATING THESE COMPLAINTS, STAFF OF THE BUREAU ALSO CARRIED OUT 15,749 REGULAR VISITS TO BUILDINGS TO ENSURE THAT THE IR COMMON CORRIDORS AND EXITS WERE NOT OBSTRUCTED.

THE BUREAU CONDUCTED 52,329 INSPECTIONS OF FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL PREMISES AND 4,623 INSPECTIONS OF VENTILATION SYSTEMS.

INSPECTIONS RELATED TO THE MANUFACTURE AND STORAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS TOTALLED 5,064. MORE THAN 2,500 INSPECTIONS WERE MADE ON FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATIONS AND NEON SIGNS.

BUREAU STAFF MADE MORE THAN 11,700 VISITS TO RESTAURANTS, NIGHTCLUBS, SCHOOLS, CINEMAS, MATSHEDS, DANCE HALLS, BILLIARD ROOMS AND TIMBER YARDS.

IN ADDITION, 1,915 INSPECTIONS WERE MADE OF VEHICLES USED FOR CONVEYING COMPRESSED GASES AND INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS AND 751 INSPECTIONS WERE CARRIED OUT ON CHILD CARE CENTRES.

THE BUREAU ALSO FINALISED 8,466 NEW BUILDING PLANS AND ISSUED OR RENEWED 3,393 DANGEROUS GOODS AND TIMBER YARD STORAGE LICENCES, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

FIRE OFFICERS ALSO INVESTIGATED 58 FIRES IN DEPTH AND CONDUCTED 168 LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS ON THE RUDIMENTS OF FIRE FIGHTING FOR STUDENTS, STAFF OF PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

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