XN000022-1986-10-23 — Page 5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1986

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NOTICES OF THE AUTHORITY'S INTENTION TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDERS AT VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT ON NOVEMBER 24 HAVE BEEN POSTE. ON THE BUILDINGS.

THE FOUR-STOREY PRE-WAR BUILDINGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE DETERIORATED BADLY WITH VERTICAL FRACTURES AT THE CORNERS OF THE MAIN BUILDINGS.

SOME OF THE TIMBER FLOOR JOISTS AND PART OF THE TIMBER STAIRCASES WERE ROTTEN.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID SINCE JULY LAST YEAR VERTICAL FRACTURES HAD BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED AT THE REAR MAIN WALLS AND THE PARTY WALL BETWEEN 243-245, INDICATING MOVEMENT OF THE MAIN WALLS.

IN ADDITION, TWO LARGE NEW CRACKS WERE FOUND RECENTLY.

DANGERS FROM OVERCROWDING IN DISCOS

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IN ORDER TO PREVENT POTENTIAL HAZARDS IN DISCOTHEQUES DUE TO OVERCROWDING, THE URBAN COUNCIL'S LIQUOR LICENSING BOARD WILL IN FUTURE SEEK THE VIEWS OF THE FIRE SERVICES AND BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENTS WHEN DEALING WITH APPLICATIONS FOR LIQUOR LICENCES FOR SUCH PREMISES.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MR PETER C.K. CHAN, AT ITS MONTHLY OPEN MEETING.

+ IF IT IS IN BOTH DEPARTMENTS' OPINION THAT A RESTRICTION SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS TO BE ADMITTED AT ANY ONE TIME, THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER ADDING THIS TO THE LICENSING CONDITIONS,+ HE SAID.

CHIEF FIRE OFFICER MR T.D.C. GARDINER TOLD THE BOARD THAT IN THE PAST 20 YEARS THERE HAD BEEN MANY DISASTERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN OVERCROWDED DISCOTHEQUES AND SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENTS RESULTING IN 765 PEOPLE BEING KILLED AND 250 INJURED.

HE SAID IT WAS +PLAIN LUCK+ THAT A MAJOR DISASTER OF THIS NATURE HAD NOT YET HAPPENED IN HONG KONG.

/A REPRESENTATIVE