Jordan fire 'shows need for race on subdivided units'

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho on Saturday said implementation in line with Basic Housing Units Ordinance requirements for subdivided flats must be pursued with determination. Her comments came after a fire broke out in a subdivided flat on the 13th floor of Man Yuen Building in Jordan shortly before 11pm on Thursday, killing one and injuring four others. Speaking on a radio programme, Ho said the flat in which the fire broke out was approximately 48 square metres and had been divided into nine rooms. "The fire safety hazard is very worrying, and it is very easy to cause a fire when there are electricity leaks, wires and clutter so close to each other," she said. "So in the apartment, there are one or two people in each subdivided unit, which means there are over a dozen people in that unit alone. "The situation involves very high risks when you think about the thick smoke and the casualties it may cause. "We must be determined, and everyone in society must pitch in, to ensure that the implementation of the ordinance proceeds smoothly and orderly." Ho said that since the ordinance was rolled out on March 1, authorities have received nearly 12,000 applications for basic housing status by owners of more than 3,300 subdivided residential units. She expected application numbers to continue to rise when the one-year registration period comes to an end and urged subdivided flat owners to register as soon as possible. Ho added that two sample units will be available in Kowloon city to clearly show owners the "very basic and simple" requirements set by the government. Edited by Azam Khan