HK to inspect 2,500 buildings after fatal blaze

Hong Kong, Nov 17 : The Hong Kong government on Tuesday said it will complete the inspection of some 2,500 domestic or composite buildings aged 60 or above by the end of this year in the aftermath of a deadly fire that killed seven people.
The fire, which occurred on Sunday night at a Nepali restaurant in a tenement building on the Canton Road, also left 10 people injured, with seven in critical and one in serious condition, reports Xinhua news agency.
The Fire Services Department (FSD) has set up a dedicated investigation team to probe the cause of the blaze.
The FSD and the Buildings Department will embark on a special exercise with a target to complete the inspection of some 2,500 domestic or composite buildings that are aged 60 or above by the end of this year and pay special attention to the condition of the buildings’ common means of escapes and whether there are fire hazards, the government said in a statement.
The city’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam inspected the scene of the fire incident on Monday and instructed relevant departments to take follow-up actions.
The Social Welfare Department and the Home Affairs Department (HAD) will render all necessary assistance to the victims of the fire accident, Lam said.