SCDF smokes out fire
hazards
The Singapore Civil Defence Force says, more than 100 shopping
centres, hotels and entertainment outlets were served with warning
notices for violating fire safety standards between January and
October this year.
These Fire Hazard Abatement Notices are handed out to first time
offenders.
SCDF says, this year's figure is more than double the number of
violators warned within the same period in 2007.
This is due to a rise in the number of calls and feedback it
received from civic-minded Singaporeans, who helped it pinpoint the
offenders.
Shaffiq Alkhatib accompanied a team of SCDF as well as
police officers last night as they conducted their checks on five
such outlets.
Clarke Quay was bustling with merry-makers as they let their
hair down at the start of the weekend.
But it's business as usual for the team of about 20 officers as
they entered Le Noir, a busy watering hole, to conduct their
checks.
While it's the SCDF officers' duty to sniff out fire hazards,
personnel from the police force are tasked to check other areas
such as the outlet's operating licenses as well as general law and
order.
The check at Le Noir was not an exercise in futility.
Police arrested a 17-year old trainee waitress who allegedly
worked there without a proper permit.
SCDF also handed the club a warning notice for blocking a fire
exit door.
Major Azmi Adam, the force's Head of Enforcement highlights some
of the common violations to fire safety.
"Some of the common violations found in these premises include
obstruction to escape routes, locking of exit doors, faulty exit
signs and overcrowding of premises."
The officers also visited four other places in the Orchard Road
area.
One of them, Robinson's Departmental Store in Centrepoint
received three warning notices, mainly for failure to maintain
clutter-free passageways.
Another venue, Holiday Inn Park View Hotel, was similarly warned
for storing items in a stairwell.
Offenders usually have up to one week to rectify their
errors.
They may be fined between $300 and $500 should they fail to do
so.
Recalcitrant offenders will be hauled to court, says Major
Azmi.
If convicted, they may be fined up to $10,000, jailed a maximum
of six months or both.
--938Live