Hong Kong Self-Storage Facilities Comply with Less than 5% of Fire Safety Citations

In the wake of two fatal self-storage facility fires last summer, Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department (FSD) inspected 885 self-storage facilities, issuing 2,548 fire hazard notices to 453 operators. According to Permanent Secretary for Security Joshua Law Chi-Kong, as of late February operators had only complied with 117 (4.6%) of these notices. Law also revealed that the HK Buildings Department had issued 976 separate orders around the same time, of which only 11 (1.1%) were complied with. With the Hong Kong government pursuing increased scrutiny in building and occupational safety, FSD will be adding 33 new staff members within the next two years; 24 of these will be tasked with safety inspections and enforcement in industrial buildings. Director of Fire Services Li Kin-yat stated that the cost of the 24 new industrial inspector posts would total HK$16.51 million. Read more here.