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In response to a newspaper report concerning the fire hazard of skyscrapers, a spokesman for the Buildings Department stressed today (February 6) that there were sufficient fire safety requirements to protect the fire safety of all private buildings, including high-rise residential buildings, in Hong Kong.
"These requirements include measures to ensure the structural integrity of a building in the event of a fire and to prevent the spread of fire within a building. Appropriate fire service installations are provided to protect the occupants upon the outbreak of a fire," the spokesman said.
"Fire in the upper part of a high-rise building is fought from within the building. Furthermore, fire fighting and rescue staircases and lifts are provided for firemen to reach any parts of a high-rise building and fight a fire using the fire service installations already in place in the building," he added.
Apart from fire fighting, adequate staircases with sufficient fire and smoke protection were also provided for the occupants to evacuate a building, he said, adding that fire refuge floors were in place in high-rise buildings for occupants to seek temporary refuge.
"Any suggestion that skyscrapers are more prone to fire risk is unfounded," the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, February 6, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:01
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