Yau Tsim Mong District Right Help Sought for Handling Fire Safety Directions Success Stories in Yau Tsim Mong
Right Help Sought for Handling Fire Safety Directions Success Stories in Yau Tsim Mong
The Government will issue directions to building owners and/or occupiers, requesting them to carry out fire safety improvement works. In many cases where old buildings were concerned, the Owners’ Corporations (“OCs”) were often at a loss because members of the OCs lacked relevant engineering knowledge: How to discuss the details of fire safety improvement works with consultancies and contractors? How could they reduce the cost of the works while, at the same time, ensuring that the works met the requirements of the Directions?
Successful Example
Ying May Building on Prince Edward Road West in Mong Kok has successfully complied with the Fire Safety Direction earlier this year and obtained a Certificate of Compliance. As in many other buildings, the Direction required Ying May Building to provide a rooftop fire services water tank and a midway water tank. However, the OC, the consultancy and the contractor were unable to reach a consensus on the location of the rooftop tank due to the concern that there was already a rooftop water tank for use and that the midway tank would further reduce the already narrow space.
To this end, Ms CHIU, Chairlady of the OC, actively communicated with various government departments. After acquiring more knowledge about the requirements and specifications of fire safety works, she found that they could change the use of the existing water tank on the rooftop. She also found space on the rear staircase for building a suspended midway water tank. Through these measures, the project cost and space were saved while the requirements of the Direction were met.
Yau Tsim Mong District Office (“YTMDO”) Launches Support Scheme
Ms CHIU recommends that OCs approach the government departments concerned and social workers if they have doubts or encounter difficulties in implementing fire safety works. In April 2020, the YTMDO officially launched the Fire Safety Direction Support Service Scheme to provide support to about 200 target buildings in the district. The related services are provided by a team of social workers from Chan Hing Social Service Centre of Mongkok Kai-fong Association. Social workers of the Scheme reached out to Ms CHIU to share information and provide advice on fire safety works, and assisted the OC in applying for the Fire Safety Improvement Works Subsidy Scheme, and tackled the challenges encountered in taking forward the fire safety works. The YTMDO has invited the District Fire Safety Committee and Area Committees to nominate more buildings.
Their successful experience has helped other OCs in similar situations to know that, with determination and government support, they can complete fire safety works successfully.
ENDS
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| Representatives of other buildings’ OCs visited Ying May Building to have a look at the rooftop fire services water tank. | |
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| District Officer (Yau Tsim Mong) (front left) and representatives of other buildings’ OCs examined the midway water tank of Ying May Building. | |
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