************************************************************
In order to address the public concern about the No. 4 alarm fire at South Horizons in Ap Lei Chau yesterday (April 11), a spokesman for the Fire Services Department (FSD) made the following statement today (April 12):
* During yesterday's operation, the first attending fire crew effected the fire fighting and rescue operation at the subject floor after entering the affected building. When they tried to get water supply from the building's fire hydrant on 16/F which is the immediate floor below the affected floor, they found that the water pressure from the fire hydrant was insufficient, which was abnormal. In order to ensure an adequate and secure water supply, fire fighters had to lay fire fighting hoses from ground floor to the affected unit through building stairs. And also, an additional major pump and turntable ladder were instructed to carry out water tower by applying a water spray to prevent the spread of fire to adjacent units at the promenade (emergency vehicular access) outside Block 10.
* For fire fighting strategy, using turntable ladder as water tower is to prevent the fire spread to adjacent units. In normal fire fighting operations, it may not be necessary to apply turntable ladder water jet into the affected unit from outside. If this is unavoidable, forewarning to Fire Service members working inside the unit must be made in order to alert Fire Service members to keep themselves away from massive heat and smoke driven inside the unit by the water jet. In addition, the massive heat and smoke driven inside by the water jet from the turntable ladder may also endanger the public whilst they are escaping through building stairs.
In this operation, it was not appropriate to effect a water jet from turntable ladder because firefighters had already effected fire fighting inside the unit on fire.
* The locations of the emergency vehicular access (EVA) vary from block to block in South Horizons, while most of the blocks have their designated EVA on South Horizon Drive. Some blocks away from the carriageway use the promenade or the garden area as EVA instead. In time of this incident, most of the attending fire appliances were parked on South Horizon Drive. In line with operational arrangements, a major pump and a turntable ladder were directed to gain assess to the EVA outside Block 7 to Block 10 for water tower operation yesterday with no difficulties encountered en route.
Although some members of the public expressed worries that the planters beside Block 21 of Phase 3 might obstruct the EVA, the planters indeed are located at the end of the EVA in Phase 3 (Block 21 to Block 28). It is not necessary for the EVA in Phase 3 to connect with the EVA of Phase 2 where Block 10 is situated. Moreover, it is not necessary to use the EVA at Phase 3 in this fire-fighting operation.
Frontline fire stations of the FSD conduct periodic inspections to the areas under their purview in order to get themselves well familiarised with the topography of the inspected areas. This practice is also applied to South Horizons.
* The first fire crew arriving at South Horizons yesterday was parked near the periphery of Block 13. The major pump connected the water source from the street fire hydrant to fight the fire at Block 10. Some members of the public have queries over why the officers of the FSD had not connected the street fire hydrant at the waterfront promenade. This arrangement was based on actual operational deployment so as to leave enough rooms for another major pump and turntable ladder to park and to conduct water tower work along the promenade when required.
* While the cause of fire is still under investigation, the available information revealed that the provisions of the fire service installations and equipment (FSI) of this building were in compliance with the requirements of our Department. Moreover, according to the Certificate of FSI (F.S.251) submitted by the FSI Contractor on July 26, 2012, no defect was found in the subject annual inspection. Besides, no report of defective FSI was received by the FSD since the date of previous annual inspection.
To find out the cause of the malfunctioning of fire hydrant/hose reel system in this fire, our officers conducted preliminary inspection and test of the building's fire service installations yesterday. Officers of the Fire Service Installations Task Force commenced a thorough examination of various parts of the subject installation early today, which included risers, water tanks, pumps, hydrant outlets and hose reels of the fire hydrant/hose reel system and street hydrant system. Examinations and inspections are still being conducted, test data is yet to be verified and analysed.
* According to the Fire Service (Installations and Equipment) Regulations (Cap. 95B), Laws of Hong Kong, whenever a registered contractor installs, maintains, repairs or inspects any fire service installation or equipment in any premises, he shall within 14 days after completion of the work issue to the person on whose instructions the work was undertaken a certificate and forward a copy thereof to the Director of Fire Services. Any registered contractor who issues or forwards a false or misleading certificate, or a copy thereof, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000.
According to the Fire Service (Installation Contractors) Regulations (Cap. 95A), Laws of Hong Kong, if it appears to the Director of Fire Services that a registered contractor has been convicted by any court of such an offence, or has been guilty of such improper conduct or negligence in the installation, maintenance, repair or inspection of any fire service installation or equipment, as to render him unfit to be on the register or make his continued inclusion in the register prejudicial to the due administration of the Ordinance, the Director of Fire Services may refer the matter to a disciplinary board. The board will conduct a disciplinary inquiry into the matter. If it is satisfied that a registered contractor has been convicted of an offence or has been guilty of improper conduct or negligence, the contractor will be awarded demerit points or delisted from the register.
The FSD monitors the performance of Registered Fire Service Installation Contractor through a demerit point system. Any registered contractor convicted by court or being punished by the disciplinary board, demerit points will be awarded. Under this system, the more demerit points a contractor accumulates, the more frequent performance audit will be conducted on him.
Ends/Friday, April 12, 2013
Issued at HKT 23:59
NNNN
