XN000022-1988-12-11 — Page 17

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1988

FIRE SAFETY PLEA TO SQUATTER RESIDENTS

**

SQUATTER AREA RESIDENTS IN WONG TAI SIN WERE TODAY (SUNDAY) URGED TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS OF FIRE PREVENTION, AND ΤΟ REFRAIN ILLEGALLY TAPPING ELECTRICITY DURING THE CURRENT DRY SEASON.

FROM

DISTRICT AT THE OPENING

THE PLEA WAS MADE BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WONG TAI SIN BOARD'S SQUATTER AREA COMMITTEE, MRS LEE LO YUK-SIM, CEREMONY OF A CAMPAIGN ON FIRE PREVENTION AND COMBATTING TAPPING OF ELECTRICITY, AT THE TZE WAN SHAN CENTRAL PLAYGROUND.

MRS LEE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE MORE THAN 20 AREAS IN WONG TAI SIN WITH A TOTAL POPULATION OF ABOUT 40,000.

ILLEGAL

SQUATTER

OWING TO THE VERY HIGH LIVING DENSITY IN MANY OF THOSE AREAS, AND THE FACT THAT STRUCTURES THERE ARE BUILT WITH IMFLAMMABLE MATERIALS, OUTBREAK OF FIRE COULD EASILY SPREAD RAPIDLY, RESULTING A CALAMITY.

IN

"THEREFORE THE COMMITTEE HAS ORGANISED THE CAMPAIGN TO CALL ON SQUATTER AREA RESIDENTS TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS OF FIRE PREVENTION IN THE CURRENT DRY SEASON, AND TO REMIND THEM THAT NEGLIGENCE ON THEIR PART WOULD NOT ONLY DESTROY THEIR HOMES BUT ALSO MIGHT RESULT IN LOSS LIFE.

OF

BE

THE

AND

"I WISH TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL TO EVERYONE TO MORE CONCERNED WITH FIRE PREVENTION AND TO REFRAIN FROM ILLEGAL TAPPING ELECTRICITY, BECAUSE SUCH BEHAVIOUR IS NOT ONLY AGAINST LAW, BUT ALSO WOULD LEAD TO OUTBREAK OF FIRE DUE TO SHORT CIRCUIT OVERLOADING.'

"

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, A SENIOR DIVISIONAL OFFICER OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR J.D. MORAN, URGED SQUATTER RESIDENTS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY FIRE HARZARDS IN AND OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES, AREA

AND TO TAKE STEPS TO REMOVE THEM.

MR MORAN POINTED OUT THAT FAULTS ON ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS AND APPARATUS WERE VERY HIGH ON THE LIST OF CAUSES OF FIRE, NOT ONLY IN SQUATTER AREAS, BUT THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

TO

"IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ANY CONNECTION OR ALTERATION ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS ARE CARRIED OUT ONLY BY AUTHORISED PERSONS," HE STRESSED.

A SERIES OF PUBLICITY ACTIVITIES WILL BE CARRIED OUT DURING THE CAMPAIGN, INCLUDING A COLOURING COMPETITION, A CROSS-WORD PUZZLE COMPETITION, DISTRIBUTION OF A POSTER AND A CALENDAR, AS WELL SEMINARS ON FIRE PREVENTION FOR SQUATTER AREA RESIDENTS.

AS

WAN

DURING THE CAMPAIGN, MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP ORGANISING THE CAMPAIGN WILL VISIT FAMILIES IN THE GOOD HOPE AND NGAU CHI VILLAGE TO DRIVE HOME THE MESSAGES ON FIRE PREVENTION AND WAYS OF USING ELECTRICITY.

THE PROPER

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