Chief Executive CY Leung today chaired an inter-departmental meeting on the Ngau Tau Kok fire.
He received updates from various bureaus and departments, and give directives.
Also at the meeting were Acting Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung, and senior officials from the Security Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Food & Health Bureau, the Home Affairs Bureau, the Fire Services Department, the Buildings Department, the Home Affairs Department and the Hospital Authority.
The Government will take follow-up actions on three fronts. Fire Services will, in co-operation with the Buildings Department, the Lands Department and the Labour Department, inspect mini-storages and similar premises across Hong Kong to check for law breaches. The departments will consider action such as prosecution and issuing advice or fire hazard abatement notices.
The Security Bureau will lead an inter-departmental working group to study how to enhance fire safety in mini-storages and similar premises.
The Government will also contact the trade to better understand the operation of such premises, and discuss with them short-term and medium-term measures to enhance fire safety. The Government does not rule out the possibility of amending the law as a longer-term measure to further improve fire safety.
The Buildings Department has formed a task force at the scene to monitor the building structure to ensure public safety.
The relocation of more than 290 residents of two elderly homes at Tak Bo Garden has been arranged. More than 230 residents have been sent to 10 elderly homes for temporary residential care services, while the remaining 60 have been picked up by their families.
The Kwun Tong District Office has set up an inter-departmental help desk near the fire scene to help affected residents, and opened temporary shelters at Lok Wah Estate Community Centre and Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre providing meals, blankets and mattresses. However, the help desk will be moved to Lok Wah Estate Community Centre tonight.
United Christian Hospital, Tseung Kwan O Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital have received 33 patients due to the fire. Among them, 23 are residents near the scene. One resident and nine firemen have been discharged. Twenty-two residents are in stable condition.
United Christian Hospital's Community Nursing Service has visited a nearby elderly home which is further away from the fire scene to assess the condition of its residents, especially those with chronic respiratory and cardiac conditions.
