FSD conducts fire safety inspection and enforcement operation in Yau Tsim Mong District
In light of the widespread public concern over building fire safety, the Fire Services Department (FSD) yesterday (January 12) carried out fire safety inspections and enforcement operations at Chuang's London Plaza and Dundas Square in Yau Tsim Mong District to eliminate potential fire hazards and ensure public safety.
During the operations, the FSD deployed dedicated inspection teams to target on the fire safety conditions of the common areas and licensed premises within the buildings. The fire personnel identified multiple violations of the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation (Cap. 95F) in the common areas of various floors and in seven licensed food premises, including obstruction of means of escape, fire service installation or equipment (FSIs) not being kept in efficient working order due to defects, as well as defects in smoke stop doors. The FSD instituted one prosecution for obstruction of means of escape and issued 32 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices regarding the irregularities.
Since the fire safety violations by the licensed food premises were suspected of breaching the licensing conditions, the FSD has referred the cases to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) for follow-up action. The FSD will continue to liaise closely with the FEHD to determine whether further enforcement actions should be taken against the licensed food premises concerned.
Furthermore, as the building management companies of the buildings failed to comply with the Code of Conduct on Handling Fire Safety Work issued under the Property Management Services Ordinance (Cap. 626) and relevant best practice guidelines, including proper maintenance of smoke stop doors to keep them in good condition, the FSD has reminded the management companies concerned and referred the cases to the Property Management Services Authority for follow-up action.
During the operation, the fire personnel also carried out fire prevention publicity and education to property owners, tenants and building management staff on common fire hazards and preventive measures to raise their fire safety awareness and mitigate fire risk from the source.
The FSD emphasises that commercial buildings have a high density of people and thus a relatively high fire risk. Property owners, tenants and property management agents must jointly bear the responsibility for fire safety, ensuring the means of escape are unobstructed, smoke stop doors remain closed at all times, FSIs are properly maintained, and annual inspections of the FSIs are carried out as required by law.
The department will continue to work with all parties to promote a fire safety culture and jointly build a safer and more resilient community through a multipronged approach, including enforcement, publicity and interdepartmental collaboration.
Source: AI-found images
FEHD releases first batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in January
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 13) released the first batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in January, covering 20 survey areas, as follows:
District |
Survey Area |
January 2026 |
First Phase Gravidtrap Index |
First Phase Density Index |
Eastern |
Chai Wan |
0.0% |
N/A |
North Point and Quarry Bay |
0.0% |
N/A |
Wan Chai |
Tin Hau and Causeway Bay |
0.0% |
N/A |
Wan Chai |
0.0% |
N/A |
Islands |
Tung Chung |
0.0% |
N/A |
Kowloon City |
Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan |
3.5% |
1.0 |
Kai Tak |
0.0% |
N/A |
Kwun Tong |
Kwun Tong Central |
0.0% |
N/A |
Yau Tong and Cha Kwo Ling |
0.0% |
N/A |
Sham Shui Po |
Lai Chi Kok |
0.0% |
N/A |
Wong Tai Sin |
Diamond Hill and Tsz Wan Shan |
0.0% |
N/A |
Yau Tsim |
Tsim Sha Tsui East and King's Park |
0.0% |
N/A |
North |
Fanling North |
0.0% |
N/A |
Fanling South |
0.0% |
N/A |
Sai Kung |
Tseung Kwan O East |
0.0% |
N/A |
Tseung Kwan O North |
0.0% |
N/A |
Tseung Kwan O West |
0.0% |
N/A |
Kwai Tsing |
Tsing Yi South |
0.0% |
N/A |
Tsuen Wan |
Tsuen Wan Town |
0.0% |
N/A |
Yuen Long |
Tin Shui Wai |
0.0% |
N/A |
Among the first batch of First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering 20 survey areas in January, all were below 10 per cent, and most of the areas recorded 0 per cent, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes was not extensive.
The eggs of Aedes albopictus can withstand long periods of desiccation and will hatch when the temperature becomes suitable and water is present. Members of the public should continue to take mosquito control measures during winter to eliminate mosquito eggs.
Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:
tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside their premises;
remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
change the water in flower vases and clear the water in saucers of potted plants at least once every seven days;
properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as empty lunch boxes and cans; and
scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever (DF). After reviewing the present DF and CF vector surveillance programme, the FEHD has expanded the coverage for monitoring Aedes albopictus mosquitoes starting from 2026. The number of survey areas set up in the community has been revised to 62, with some survey areas renamed. Additional gravidtraps will also be set up at different locations across the territory to strengthen the monitoring of the breeding of mosquitoes. Under the present surveillance mechanism, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).
Source: AI-found images
