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■屋宇署派人拆走花園街火場樓宇外牆及路邊排檔的危險招牌和帳篷等火災隱患。 資料圖片
旺角花園街大火導致嚴重人命損傷，排檔的安全管理備受關注。行政長官曾蔭權亦表示，花園街排檔情況一定要改善，包括考慮「朝行晚拆」，但有關建議遭到部分商販反對。事實上，「朝行晚拆」可以有效降低火災風險，當局須下決心實行有利消除火災隱患的措施，不能一味遷就排檔商戶而議而不決、決而不行。同時，還應考慮加強保安，提升防範偷竊、縱火等罪行的阻嚇力，保障花園街排檔等具有香港傳統特色的市集安全有序地持續經營。
目前全港約有2,700個類似花園街「梗檔式」的固定排檔，當中200多檔位於旺角花園街，其他的則分布在深水埗鴨寮街及北河街、油麻地廟街、銅鑼灣渣甸坊等地。這些排檔是本港具有歷史及特色的購物、旅遊熱點，每日吸引大量本地市民和中外遊客。此次花園街大火向全港所有排檔式購物點發出警號，必須高度重視安全隱患，這些人煙稠密的地區一旦發生火災或其他突發事故，即使在白天也容易出現人群因驚慌而互相碰撞或踐踏，必須做好防火準備，保持交通暢順，以免有事時因措手不及導致慘重傷亡。
Dismantle stalls after trading hours to enhance fire safety
After the deadly fire on Fa Yuen Street in Mongkok which caused serious casualties, the safe management of street stalls has become public concern. Chief Executive Donald Tsang has said that the conditions of the stalls on Fa Yuen Street have to be improved; and requiring hawkers to dismantle stalls after trading hours is one of the measures under consideration. This suggestion, however, has been opposed by some of the hawkers. In fact, 'putting up stalls in the daytime and dismantling them after trading hours at night' can effectively minimize fire hazards. The authorities must have the determination to implement necessary measures that help prevent outbreaks of fire.They should not simply have empty talks and take no actions, indefinitely dodging the issue in fear of the reaction of the hawkers. In the meantime, the authorities should consider tightening security measures to deter crimes such as theft or arson so that stalls in traditional Hong Kong style markets like that on Fa Yuen Street can continue to operate in a safe and orderly environment.
At present, in Hong Kong there are about 2,700 permanent stalls which are like those on Fa Yuen Street. Among them, more than 200 are located on Fa Yuen Street in Mongkok and the others are distributed in locations like Ap Liu Street and Pei Ho Street in Sham Shui Po, Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei, and Jardine's Crescent in Causeway Bay. These stalls, representing the history and characteristics of Hong Kong, are shopping and tourist hot spots which attract a large number of local people and visitors from the Mainland and overseas every day. The Fa Yuen Street fire incident has sent to all similar stall-style shopping areas in Hong Kong the warning signal that great emphasis must be put on hidden safety risks. Once a fire or any other unexpected incident breaks out in these overcrowded areas, even if it happens in the daytime, people will easily panic and bumping or trampling may take place. Therefore, there must be comprehensive fire precautions and also passageways must be kept clear and unobstructed in order to avoid heavy casualties that may be caused because of inadequate contingency measures. ■Translation by 東明 tungming23@gmail.com
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