Duty-free sector and fire safety among issues addressed

Fire safety inspections ordered near campuses

The Ministry of Emergency Management has called for heightened efforts to reinforce fire safety inspections of rental housing units and businesses near campuses in the wake of several accidents in recent months.

In a notice issued with three other government departments on Wednesday, the ministry said problems such as a lack of fire control measures, failure to assume safety responsibilities and a lack of safety training were behind a number of deadly fires in rental housing in recent years that have each claimed at least 10 lives.

Meanwhile, businesses around campuses, such as internet cafes, games rooms and hotels, also pose severe fire hazards due to the large flow of people attracted to their commercial activities, it said.

Government departments must launch comprehensive fire safety inspections targeting rental housing units and business venues, the notice said.

Housing units accommodating more than 10 tenants that fail to ensure safe evacuation procedures must be shut down temporarily, and electric bikes that are illegally parked or charged inside residential buildings must be removed.

The notice also called for property owners and managers to organize fire extinguishing and emergency evacuation drills on a regular basis, carry out fire safety inspections, and keep firefighting equipment well maintained.