HAD opens temporary heat shelters
The Home Affairs Department will continue to open 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (September 18).
The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.
For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
The heat shelters are located at:
Hong Kong Island:
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Central and Western -
Kennedy Town Community Complex
1/F, 12 Rock Hill Street, Kennedy Town
Eastern -
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
Southern -
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
Wan Chai -
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
Kowloon:
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Kowloon City -
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
Kwun Tong -
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
Sham Shui Po -
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate
Wong Tai Sin -
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
Yau Tsim Mong -
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
New Territories:
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Islands -
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
Kwai Tsing -
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
North -
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
Sai Kung -
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
Sha Tin -
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
Tai Po -
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
Tsuen Wan -
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
Tuen Mun -
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
Yuen Long -
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
Yuen Long -
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.
Source: AI-found images
FSD and BD conduct joint inspection and enforcement operation against industrial buildings
In response to earlier media reports on fire safety issues in certain industrial buildings, the Fire Services Department (FSD) and the Buildings Department (BD) are highly concerned about the situation and conducted a joint inspection and enforcement operation targeting industrial buildings from December 29 to 31, 2025, with a view to ensuring public safety.
An industrial building in Kwun Tong, Photo by Bastille Post
The FSD and the BD inspected a total of nine industrial buildings located in various districts in Kowloon and the New Territories during the joint operation. The fire personnel identified a total of 261 irregularities related to various fire hazards, such as obstruction or locking of means of escape, defective or wedged-open smoke stop doors, as well as fire service installations or equipment (FSIs) that were defective or not in efficient working order. The FSD took immediate enforcement action against the persons concerned.
An industrial building in Kwun Tong, Photo by Bastille Post
Among the cases related to obstruction of means of escape, the FSD instituted three prosecutions and issued 22 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices (FHANs), requiring the persons concerned to abate the fire hazards within a specified period. Should they fail to comply with the requirements of the FHANs within the period, the FSD will institute resolute prosecution. In addition, inspections revealed that some buildings had defective smoke stop doors and FSIs. The FSD will issue FHANs to the persons concerned and continue to take follow-up action.
The Buildings Department (BD), Photo source: reference image
The BD identified 13 subdivided flats suspected of being used illegally for domestic purposes. Further investigations are now under way, and letters have been sent to the relevant owners and occupiers asking them to contact the BD as soon as possible to arrange an inspection of their flats. Otherwise, the BD will consider applying for a court warrant to enter the premises for inspection. If it is confirmed that the flats in question have been used for illegal domestic purposes, the BD will take enforcement action in accordance with the Buildings Ordinance, including ordering the cessation of illegal domestic use and rectify the dangerous situations. The BD also identified in the operation that there was dilapidation in the exit staircases of one of the industrial buildings, but no obvious danger to the overall building structure was noted. The BD has issued a repair order to the owners' corporation for conducting the necessary repair work.
The Fire Services Department (FSD), Photo source: reference image
Apart from inspection and enforcement, the FSD also carried out fire prevention education and publicity at the same time during the operation to enhance fire safety awareness among owners and occupiers of industrial buildings, thereby mitigating fire risk from the source. The BD has also long been promoting building safety and the proper use of buildings through various channels, including distributing themed posters to management offices of industrial buildings for displaying in prominent places to serve as a reminder to owners and occupiers that industrial buildings must not be used illegally for domestic purposes.
