Three fire safety and building services experts oppose new fire safety standards for karaoke bars, say bar operators.
The newly formed Karaoke Requirements Concern Group, representing 59 chains, said it had sought opinions from the Polytechnic University's Professor Chow Wan-ki and the University of Edinburgh's Dr Dougal Drysdale over the proposed requirements.
The rules and licensing system follow the Top One karaoke fire that killed 17 people in Prat Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, in January last year.
'There are great differences between Government and the experts,' said group spokesman Lock Kwok-on. 'They all agreed it's impossible to prevent something malicious. The objective of the proposal is simply incorrect. Compartment karaokes are comparatively safer than open restaurants because of the slower spread of fire.' Building surveyor Bing Choy Bing-wing said: 'The public are well protected under the existing laws. The problem is they are not enforced strictly.'
