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All karaoke bars to be licensed in wake of Top One fire

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All karaoke bars must be licensed by the two municipal councils, the Provisional Urban Council ruled yesterday.

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The move was proposed after the Top One karaoke blaze killed 17 in January.

Under the changes, all new karaoke premises must first have a licence. Those with restaurant licences must obtain extra written permission.

Clubs with karaoke facilities approved by the Home Affairs Department will have to meet extra fire and building conditions. But at yesterday's meeting, council members expressed reservations about the suggestion emergency exits be required for individual cubicles.

'If the karaoke bar had 30 cubicles, there would be 60 doors opening at the same time because some would take the normal exits while the other would escape through the emergency ones. It will be very chaotic,' said Stanley Ng Wing-fai. Buildings Department acting chief surveyor Tang Hung-ki said: 'People will be confused if there are too many doors. And their sense of direction will be adversely affected,' he said.

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Mr Tang said the department was consulting industry on the matter.

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