Stay-put-or-flee dilemma 'cost lives' in Mei Foo fire
A lack of information about what to do when a fire breaks out cost lives in the Mei Foo blaze, a senior fireman told the Coroner's Court yesterday.
Divisional officer Lo Shu-nam, who has 21 years' fire-fighting experience, said residents had no idea if it was best to stay in their flats or try to escape.
Some people thought it was better to flee because they knew victims of the 1996 Garley Building fire had died after staying where they were, Mr Lo said.
But some of those who fled through the corridors of the Mei Foo Sun Chuen Estate in West Kowloon died from smoke inhalation. The fire killed nine people on April 8 last year.
The senior fireman said the tragedy could have been prevented if the smoke doors were working properly and had not been wedged open.
Mr Lo said it was essential the fire department stressed the value of closing fire doors and better educate people about how to respond.
The Fire Services Department would set up a community service division on April 1 to further educate the public.
Mr Lo said he had never battled a fire which involved so much dense smoke and so many bodies slumped in the corridors.
'This was a special fire as there was relatively little fire but a lot of smoke,' he said.
Coroner's officer Dee Crebbin said the situation could have been improved if a fireman had been stationed in the management office to give proper help to residents ringing to find out if they should flee or not.
It emerged that Sun Ar-lik, 29, who was killed in the fire, had followed the management office's advice to flee. She later died at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Assistant divisional officer Tam Yiu-kei said visibility was reduced to zero when crews entered the building.
'We discovered unconscious people on the way up the stairs, and that is why it took us longer to rescue people on the higher floors,' Mr Tam said.
He said the rescue operation could have been improved if they had carried lighter breathing apparatus and better communication sets.
The inquest continues before Coroner Ian Thomas.
