XN000022-1993-03-01 — Page 10

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1993

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RECOMMENDATIONS ON SAFETY MEASURES FOR HONG KONG COLISEUM

CERTIFIED MEDICAL PERSONNEL. WILL BE PRESENT DURING FUTURE PERFORMANCES INVOLVING A SIZEABLE AUDIENCE IN THE HONG KONG COLISEUM AND REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL GIMMICKS INVOLVING AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION WILL BE CAREFULLY SCRUTINISED AND MONITORED BY THE STADIUM MANAGEMENT.

(HKC)

SUCH MEASURES WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO THE URBAN COUNCIL'S ENTERTAINMENT SELECT COMMITTEE AT TODAY'S (MONDAY) MEETING AS A RESULT OF AN INCIDENT IN WHICH A 17-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS FOUND COLLAPSED DURING A POP CONCERT 13. THE YOUNG MAN DIED IN HOSPITAL ON FEBRUARY 21.

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ON FEBRUARY

REPORTING ON THE TRAGEDY WHICH OCCURRED DURING ONE OF THE SHOWS IN THE "ANDY LAU ΙΝ CONCERT" ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR PANG CHUNG, TOLD THE MEETING THAT HIRERS OF THE HONG KONG COLISEUM WOULD BE ASKED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR FIRST AID PERSONNEL TO BE ON DUTY DURING SIMILAR EVENTS IN FUTURE.

"PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS ON AUDIENCE SAFETY WILL RE MADE BEFORE THE PERFORMANCES WHILE ADDITIONAL SIGNAGES ON SAFETY MEASURES WILL BE PUT UP IN MORE PROMINENT POSITIONS NEAR THE STAGE HE SAID.

+

THE STADIUM MANAGEMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS REGULAR CONSULTATIONS WITH THE HIRERS ON SPECIAL EFFECTS AND SAFETY ASPECTS PROPOSED THE PERFORMANCES.

DURING

HE TOLD THE MEETING THAT 1MMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT ON FEBRUARY 13, THE GIMMICK REGARDING RELEASING BALLOONS FROM THE CEILING HAD BEEN SUSPENDED AND THE HIPER HAD AGREED TO THE REQUEST ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF ST JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE FROM FEBRUARY UNTIL THE CONCERT ENDED ON FEBRUARY 22.

"MORE BILINGUAL WARNING SIGNAGES HAD BREN PUT STAGE WHILE SECURITY GUARDS AND USHERS HAD BREN ALERTED TIGHTER CROWD CONTROL SINCE THE INCIDENT, MR PANG SAID.

ΤΟ

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THE

UP NEAR

что EXERCISE

IN LIGHT OF THE DAN KWAI FONG INCIDENT ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, STAFF OF THE HKC HAD BEEN REMINDED TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS AND MEASURES TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, MR PANG SAID, ADDING THAT SEVERAL OPERATIONAL MEETINGS HAD BEEN HELD WITH THE HIRER BEFORE THE "ANDY LAU IN CONCERT".

HE ALSO SAID A REQUEST FOR ANDY LAU TO GO AROUND THE GANGWAY TO SHAKE HANDS WITH THE AUDIENCE DURING THE PERFORMANCES HAD BEEN REJECTED BY THE STADIUM MANAGEMENT AS | * WAS CONSIDERED THAT THIS ACTION MIGHT CREATE A CHAOTIC SITUATION AND COMMOTION AMONG THE AUDIENCE.

THE REQUEST FOR THE RELEASE OF BALLOONS FROM THE CELLING ONLY AGREED BY THE STADIUM MANAGEMENT ON THE CONDITION THAT THEY DROPPED FROM ABOVE THE MAIN GANGWAY TAK ING INTO CONSIDERATION

WAS

WERE

THE

SAFETY ASPECTS.

/RECALLING THE

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