Did Hong Kong learn nothing from firefighter’s death six years ago?
Security minister does not rule out legislative changes; experts suggest setting out need for fire escapes and having sufficient space and ventilation in the densely packed storage areas
The entire floor of a 50-year-old industrial building was gutted as an intense fire swept through it in the absence of a sprinkler system. A firefighter was trapped and killed while fighting the blaze, prompting outpourings of sympathy, while exposing the hazards and lax oversight of fire safety in old factory buildings.
This tragedy occurred six years ago at the Lai Cheong Factory Building in Cheung Sha Wan. But parallels are being drawn with the fire that broke out at a mini-storage area on the third floor of a 51-year-old Ngau Tau Kok industrial building on Tuesday.
As demand for such storage facilities increases in the face of limited space in the city along with the under-utilisation of old industrial buildings, experts believe there is an urgent need for the government to set special fire safety standards for loosely regulated premises.
Old industrial buildings are subdivided to provide space for companies or individuals to store belongings if they have run out of space in their own premises.
“The incident shows how the city has overlooked the fact that mini-storage areas in old industrial buildings can carry such high potential safety risks,” Institute of Architects board member Ivan Ho Man-yiu said.