Fire Suppression

Of the 35 543 fire calls received in 1997, 26 were classified as major fires
of No. 3 alarm and above. Unwanted alarms, caused mainly by faulty
automatic alarm systems or their poor positioning, contributed to about
53.9 per cent of the total number of fire calls. Careless handling or
disposal of smoking materials was still the major cause of fires, totalling
4 411 cases in all, followed by accidents involving the preparation of
foodstuffs and electrical faults, which accounted for 3 005 and 1 529
cases respectively.

Fires claimed 47 lives and 605 injuries, including 16 firemen. Fire
personnel rescued 2 411 people. Notable fires during the year included: a
No. 3 alarm in a karaoke establishment in a commercial building in Tsim
Sha Tsui on January 25, claiming 17 lives and 13 injuries; a No. 1 alarm
in a Shek Kip Mei housing estate unit on February 20 which claimed three
lives; a No. 3 alarm in a Mei Foo Sun Chuen domestic unit on April 8,
claiming nine lives and 37 injuries, including three firemen; and a No. 3
alarm in a Sai Wan Ho domestic unit on April 25, in which three people
died and six others were injured, including a fireman.

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