An owners' corporation (OC) was fined $15,020 for failing to comply with fire safety compliance orders issued under the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance (Cap 572) (the Ordinance) at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on August 2 this year.

     This is the first successful prosecution under section 6(8) of the Ordinance against the owners of a building for failing to comply with the fire safety compliance orders issued by the Court.

     On February 21, 2011, the Buildings Department (BD) issued two fire safety directions under sections 5(2)(a)(i) and 5(2)(a)(ii) of the Ordinance to the OC of a 12-storey composite building in Mong Kok, requiring them to comply with certain fire safety construction requirements.

     The OC failed to commence the required works upon the expiry of the fire safety directions and was then prosecuted by the BD. The OC pleaded guilty at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts in January 2014 and was fined $7,600. On the same day, the Court, on the application of the BD, made two fire safety compliance orders under section 6(1) of the Ordinance to the OC directing them to comply with the relevant requirements.

     The OC still had not commenced the required works upon the expiry of the fire safety compliance orders, and was prosecuted by the BD under section 6(8) of the Ordinance. The OC pleaded guilty at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on August 2 this year and was fined $15,020.

     Failure to comply with a fire safety compliance order is a serious offence under section 6(8) of the Ordinance. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and a further fine of $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Ends/Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:30

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