Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ8: Tai Shing Street Market fire
Following is a question by the Hon Starry Lee and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council
today (May 15):
Question:
On April 20 this year, a Number 3 alarm fire broke out at Tai Shing Street
Market in Wong Tai Sin. Not until seven hours later was the blaze put out.
Apart from the dry goods area on the first floor of the market being
severely burnt down, the stalls on the ground and second floors were also
affected. As a result, the market had to be closed down temporarily, with
more than 400 stalls being affected. During the closure of the market, the
residents of Wong Tai Sin District who are long-time patrons of the market
have no alternative but to go elsewhere to buy food, which has affected
their daily lives. In this connection, will the Government inform this
Council:
(a) of the progress of the rehabilitation works of the aforesaid market;
when the repairs to the ancillary public facilities (e.g. escalators) will
be completed; when the market can resume full operation; whether the
relevant inspection, assessment and rehabilitation works can be expedited
so as to enable the stalls to resume business as soon as possible in a
safe environment provided with the necessary facilities; if so, of the
details; if not, the reasons for that;
(b) whether any temporary measures are in place to facilitate members of
the public to buy food before the market is fully rehabilitated; and
(c) whether it knows the total pecuniary loss suffered by the traders due
to the fire; whether the Government has provided assistance to help the
stalls resume business (including granting a rent-free period and, where
necessary, arranging the relocation of stalls to nearby markets on a
short-term or long-term basis); if it has, of the details; if not, the
reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In the wake of the Number 3 alarm fire at Tai Shing Street Market in Wong
Tai Sin in the early morning of April 20 this year, we had to close the
ground, first and second floors of the market right away. Immediately
after the fire, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) took
remedial actions, in conjunction with the Architectural Services
Department (ArchSD) and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department
(EMSD). Having ascertained the extent to which the market was affected by
the fire and the areas that required restoration, we put emergency repairs
in action. At the same time, FEHD stayed in touch with the trade
association concerned and stall operators affected on matters related to
resumption of business in the market.
My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(a) and (b) Starting from April 21, the Fire Services Department had
uplifted the temporary closure of Tai Shing Street Market by phases so
that staff of the relevant departments could gain access to the premises
for the purpose of carrying out assessments and follow-up actions. FEHD
has, in collaboration with ArchSD and EMSD, conducted inspections in the
market and examined the safety of the building forthwith.
After obtaining confirmation from site inspections that the market was
safe, we allowed all stalls on the ground and second floors and some of
the stalls on the first floor of the market to resume operation. These
stalls sell fresh provision like fish, meat, poultry, siu mei and lo mei,
vegetables, fruits, and cooked food.
Stalls in the dry goods zone that is located on the first floor of the
market are yet to resume operation. They include stalls that are close to
where the fire broke out. The departments concerned are now moving full
steam ahead with works for restoring power supply and repainting the
premises of the stalls close to where the fire broke out. These stalls are
expected to be ready for resumption of business in mid-May upon completion
of the repair works. About 100 stalls in the immediate vicinity of the
fire were badly damaged. In these cases, stabilisation and repair works of
more significant scale are required and the departments concerned would
also have to conduct detailed safety checks. Hence, it is unlikely that
the stalls in question would be able to resume business in the short run.
After the scope and schedule of the repair works are confirmed, FEHD would
keep the stall operators in the picture.
For stall operators who are unable to resume business in the short run,
FEHD is planning to temporarily relocate them to the vacant stalls on the
first floor of Tai Shing Street Market. FEHD will discuss the detailed
arrangements with them in due course. According to the present estimate
and subject to suitable retrofitting, the existing vacant stalls could
accommodate the vast majority of the affected stall operators.
There are two passenger lifts, two cargo lifts and four sets of escalators
in Tai Shing Street Market. During the fire fighting operations, the lift
and escalator pits were badly flooded, causing serious damage to most of
the mechanical parts. Among these, one passenger lift, one cargo lift and
two sets of escalators have resumed normal service after emergency repair
works. Repair works for the remaining lifts and escalators are now
underway. We hope to resume service as soon as possible.
(c) As and when the temporary closure of the market is lifted, FEHD has
deployed additional manpower to assist stall operators in taking stock of
the damages to their stalls and goods. In parallel, FEHD and the relevant
departments are pressing ahead with the repair works for early resumption
of business. At this stage, the Government is unable to assess the full
extent of loss caused by the fire.
As mentioned above, FEHD plans to temporarily relocate the stall operators
who are unable to resume business in the short run to the vacant ones on
the first floor of Tai Shing Street Market. For stall operators whose
business is suspended or affected due to the repair works in the market,
FEHD will offer rental concessions in accordance with established
arrangement.
In view of this incident, FEHD will step up enforcement actions against
the practices of stall operators who store articles at the top of their
stalls as well as other acts that are obstructing fire escape or the
functioning of fire service installations, with a view to reducing fire
risk in public markets.
Ends/Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Issued at HKT 14:53
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