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Garley blaze survivors sought for post-trauma study

PSYCHOLOGISTS are seeking survivors of the Garley Building inferno which killed 40 people almost two years ago.

Experts suspect that many could be suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, pushing their marriages and family relationships to breaking point and destroying their careers and studies.

Yau Ma Tei Child Psychiatric Centre psychologist Raymond Chan Won-shing said the team of Chinese University and Hospital Authority mental health professionals expected that about 15 per cent of people who survived the blaze could be still suffering from the disorder.

'It varies from study to study, but 15 per cent is a conservative estimate,' Mr Chan said.

'We want to find out whether people, if they still have problems, are receiving services or whether they are suffering in the dark.

'Also, we hope to find some of the personal and social factors which mean some people are more resilient.' Post-traumatic stress disorder develops in about 30 to 40 per cent of people after a particularly traumatic event.

'From time to time they experience the event again - it intrudes into their mind or they have bad dreams,' Mr Chan said.

'Or they can avoid places or stimuli which brings it to mind.

'They would avoid going near the building, or avoid stoves or flames.

'The third aspect is hyper-vigilance. They're very aware of anything going on around them. If something drops behind their chair, they will jump up.' The problem could impair work, study and social relationships.

'We're now compiling a list of potential subjects we want to contact,' Mr Chan said.

'We'll give priority to Garley fire survivors first, but we may consider other fire incidents as well, like Mei Foo or the Top One karaoke blaze.' Discovering which factors made certain people more resilient to the disorder - such as the degree of exposure to danger or having secure relationships - could be helpful in dealing with disasters, Mr Chan said.

Interviews start next month. Survivors who wish to take part can call Chinese University psychologist Dr Patrick Leung Wing-leung on 2609 6502.

Hundreds of people escaped from the blazing Garley Building in Yau Ma Tei after fire broke out in a lift shaft in November 1996.

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