1 - HKU Libraries - The University of Hong Kong

Executive Summary of theFinal Results Report onthe Existing Procedures Governingthe Provision of EVAs and FSIsfor Public and Private Building DevelopmentsIntroductionThe much publicised fatal fire (3 persons deadand 8 injured) which broke out in Yue Wan Estate, ChaiWan in July 1995 had generated widespread public concernover the provision of Emergency Vehicular Accesses (EVAs)and the proper maintenance of Fire Service Installations(FSIs) and equipment in both public and private buildingdevelopments as such facilities were vital to thesuccessful conduct of any fire fighting and other rescueoperations required to be undertaken by the Fire ServicesDepartment (FSD).2. Soon after the incident, this Office hadconducted preliminary enquiries which had revealed thatthe existing procedures adopted by the FSD governing theprovision of EVAs and FSIs for public and privatebuilding developments might not be entirely satisfactoryand which had also prompted the need for examining theissue in more details. Therefore, in order to examinewhether there were any deficiencies in the FSD's relevantexisting procedures and guidelines, the Commissioner ofAdministrative Complaints (COMAC), by virtue of hisauthority vested in Section 7(1) (b) of the COMACOrdinance (Cap. 397), had directed in late 1995 that aninvestigation be carried out into the EVAs and FSIs andequipment in public and private building developments inHong Kong. The investigation has recently beencompleted.Purpose and Ambit of the Investigation3* The specific purposes of this investigationwere to establish -(a)whether the existing procedures governingthe provision of EVAs and FSIs andequipment were adequate for the protection