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Round-the-clock emergency services for dangerous buildings
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The Buildings Department received a total of 500 calls for emergency services to remove dangers from buildings during the first 11 months this year, the Assistant Director of Buildings (Structural Engineering), Mr Ng Hon-keung, said today (Saturday).
About 25 per cent of the cases involved loose finishes and rendering, 15 per cent on advertising signs, while about 12 per cent were related to dangerous appendages or canopies.
Other problems ranged from structural defects of building, unstable slopes, dangerous scaffolding to defective drains or leakage.
Mr Ng said that the Buildings Department, in recognition of the importance of public safety, was committed to maintain a 24-hour services to the community.
"The Department provides expert advice on private buildings and developments in case of danger. Our professional officers attending an emergency scene will make an initial assessment of the situation and decide what immediate action should be taken in order to protect public safety.
"In many cases, government contractors are called to carry out emergency works to remove dangers from the affected building," Mr Ng said.
During office hours, emergency calls are directed to the relevant case officers. After office hours, two professional officers are on emergency call on a rotation basis. They will be informed of emergencies by the police control and command centre.
Mr Ng pointed out that the department had pledged a performance standard of inspecting and responding to any emergency situation within three hours.
"We are glad that in 1995, we had met our performance target in 97.4 per cent of the cases. The shortfall was mainly due to the engagement of the duty officers in other emergency cases or heavy traffic condition," he said.
When tropical cyclone No. 8 warning signal is hoisted or the rainstorm black warning is issued, or during a major emergency situation, an emergency duty centre will be set up at the Buildings Department office.
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