An owners' corporation (OC) was convicted and fined $9,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts last week for failing to comply with a fire safety direction issued under the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance (FS(CP)O) (Cap. 502).

     The Buildings Department (BD) issued a fire safety direction under section 5(1) of the FS(CP)O to the OC of a 66-year-old composite building on Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, requiring the OC to comply with certain fire safety construction requirements which include installing directional exit signs inside the escape staircase, providing protected lobbies with fire-rated doors between the arcades and the escape staircases, and removing unauthorised building works within the escape staircase.

     Failing to comply with the statutory direction, the OC was prosecuted by the BD and was convicted and fined by the court on March 14.

     "According to the FS(CP)O, failing to comply with a statutory direction issued under the ordinance without reasonable excuse is a serious offence. The BD may instigate prosecution proceedings against the owner of the prescribed commercial premises under the Ordinance", a spokesman for the BD said today (March 24).

     Pursuant to section 5(7)(a) of the FS(CP)O, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a statutory direction, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4 ($25,000 at present) and to a further fine of $2,500 for each day of non-compliance. Upon conviction, an application may also be made to a court for a Fire Safety Compliance Order against the owner under section 6(1) of the FS(CP)O directing the owner to comply with the requirements of the direction.

Ends/Friday, March 24, 2023
Issued at HKT 11:30

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