In light of the deadly apartment fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, local fire authorities reassured the public that the region has two aerial ladder trucks capable of reaching heights of up to 70 meters for exterior rescue operations, while emphasizing that residents of high-rise buildings are legally required to have their fire systems inspected annually.
Notably, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau signed a framework agreement on emergency cooperation last year. The three regions have previously implemented action plans through drills and plan to continue this practice next year.
Fire Services Bureau (CB) director Wong Kin stated on the public broadcaster’s radio program on Friday, “Seven fire vehicles from Zhuhai and Hengqin are now qualified to enter Macau, with supporting mechanisms currently being advanced.”
From January to October this year, the fire services conducted 9,224 fire safety inspections and investigations, identifying 2,209 instances of non-fixed obstructions, of which 1,786 were resolved through corrective measures.
Wong noted, “There were 103 penalty cases involving motorcycles parked and miscellaneous items placed in evacuation routes.” The fire department responded to 1,687 incidents, with most building fires arising from electrical equipment failures and incense-related accidents, including 120 cases in low-rise buildings.
Regarding fire safety efforts for “three-nil buildings,” authorities performed 4,035 inspections of low-rise buildings by October. During these inspections, evacuation routes were reviewed, and recommendations for clearing obstructions were provided.
The bureau reminded the public that in the event of a fire, regardless of whether the fire’s location is known, priority should be given to using staircases for descent and evacuation. If escape routes are filled with thick smoke, individuals should stay low to the ground, covering their mouths and noses with a damp towel to prevent inhaling smoke.
Authorities stressed the importance of remembering the “three essentials for escape”: a mobile phone, keys, and a wet towel. If residents encounter heavy smoke or uncontrollable fire spread, they should abandon evacuation and return to their unit for temporary shelter. They should securely close the door, seal it with tape or a wet towel, promptly dial 119 or 120 to report the emergency, clearly state their location, and await rescue.
Meanwhile, Friday’s radio program featured representatives from the Judiciary Police (PJ) and Public Security Police (PSP) reviewing their respective forces’ efforts this year. Serious crimes remained low, with three homicide cases and two serious assault cases reported, neither linked to organized crime or gambling offenses. Arson cases totaled 21, representing a 25% decrease year on year, including seven cases of intentional arson. Of these, five were caused by minors playing with fire, while 13 were attributed to negligence, reflecting an overall downward trend in serious violent crimes.
Sit Chong Meng, director of the PJ, highlighted that telecommunications fraud continues to comprise a significant proportion of overall cases. In response to a listener’s suggestion for authorities to collaborate with telecom providers to intercept fraudulent text messages, he stated that efforts would focus on raising anti-fraud awareness through public campaigns.
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