■規管迷你倉消防安全刻不容緩。圖為去年牛頭角迷你倉火災現場。 資料圖片【原文】去年6月牛頭角迷你倉發生4級火之後，消防處向迷你倉業界（self-storage industry）發出指引，要求業界改善迷你倉的間隔及防火安全。
迷你倉業界組成的迷你倉總會2月召開記者會，表示在某些方面難以遵從消防處的指引，已經委託顧問（consultants）提出替代方案（alternatives）。業界有意見當然可以表達，但迷你倉會長洪家棋亦承認，商業利益不能凌駕（override）公共安全。
近半有危險 替代案須守兩原則
去年那一場4級火奪去兩位消防員的寶貴性命，全港市民悲痛。消防處及屋宇署事後巡查全港迷你倉，在已巡查的885間迷你倉（mini-storage facilities）普遍發現存在不同的火警危險，並已向423間違規迷你倉的負責人發出2,410張「消除火警危險通知書」（fire hazard abatement notices），當中只有116張遵照辦理。
根據程序，如果經營者未能在通知書限期前按規定改善，即屬違法，一旦檢控定罪將被罰款10萬元兼每日加罰1萬元。
對於迷你倉業界提出替代方案，有關部門當以開放態度檢視，吸納其中好的建議，但須堅守兩大原則（two principles）。
首先，要將消防安全放在第一位。業界出於經營成本的考慮，當然不希望有大的改動，但前車可鑑（learnt the hard way），對於事關市民生命財產安全的問題，不應該有絲毫妥協（concessions）。
其次，加強消防規管不可一拖再拖，要訂立明確的時間表，限期執行。
諮詢非藉口 可分階段規管
事事以所謂諮詢作藉口（expedient）拖延，是香港近年的一種陋習。例如迷你倉總會提出，工廈內有迷你倉和非迷你倉的不同種類租戶，防火要求理應一致；又說當局沒有充分諮詢業界和市民意見等等。
工廈內出租單位當然有各種各樣的用途，但大可針對不同行業分階段（carried out in phases）檢討消防規管，要求各種租戶都一視同仁，意味要逐一諮詢各個行業，操作難度極大。
凡事都涉及不同持份者，相互之間的訴求或互相矛盾，很多時候根本不可能達至所有持份者（stakeholders）都滿意的方案，什麼時候才算諮詢充足呢？
淘大迷你倉4級火發生迄今已8個月，所暴露（exposed）出來的城市火災隱患仍未消除，當局應該有充分的緊迫感，加強巡查，重罰違例的經營業者；盡快推出發牌制度，減低可能釀成火災的風險，確保消防安全，保障廣大市民利益。 （標題及小標題為編輯所加） （摘錄自文匯報社評28-2-2017）
Regulation revamp for storage houses should meet no delay
【譯文】The Fire Services Department has issued guidance notes to the self-storage industry demanding better fire prevention measures in wake of the deadly Ngau Tau Kok four-alarm blaze last June. The Hong Kong Mini-Storages Association said during a press conference in February that it has hired consultants to come up with alternatives, as there are difficulties to comply with some of the requirements. Even though the industry is entitled to its opinions, Association chairman Peter Hung Kai-kei concedes that business interests should not override public safety.
Near half potentially dangerous
The four-alarm fire that claimed the lives of two firefighters had left the public deeply saddened. The FSD and the Buildings Department had made a list of 885 mini-storage facilities across the city and issued 2,410 fire hazard abatement notices to 423 operators, of which only 116 has been complied with.
Operators who fail to comply before deadlines could face a penalty of up to HKD 100,000, and in any case, to a further fine of $10,000 for each day during which the offence continues.
The authorities should keep an open mind on the alternative solutions proposed by the industry, provided that the two principles are met.
First and foremost, fire safety above all else. It is natural that the industry resists changes due to cost concerns, but we have already learnt the hard way - safeguarding and protecting life and property should be reason enough for the authorities to not make concessions on this matter.
Second, the authorities must set a timetable for the regulatory crackdown on fire safety compliance without further delay.
"Duty to consult" has become an expedient for delaying necessary courses of action in recent years. For instance, the Association has slammed the government for not consulting the industry and the public, and for having double standards as it only warned mini-storage facilities about fire safety compliance.
Consultation not an excuse
Given the variety in the nature of industrial building tenants, the review on fire safety standards could be carried out in phases according to the tenants' respective business sector. Any across-the-board regulations would complicate the situation, as the authorities would have to consult different sectors simultaneously.
Almost all issues would involve different stakeholders, whose interests and priorities sometimes conflict. More often than not, some of these stakeholders would leave the negotiation table unhappily. How do we define whether the "duty to consult" has been met or not?
It has already been eight months since the Ngau Tau Kok mini-storage blaze, yet many of the fire threats that it exposed are still out there. The authorities should step up their efforts in enforcing fire regulations, and heavily penalise the offenders. A licensing system for the sector should also be set up as soon as possible, so as to lower the risk of fire hazards and safeguard the interest of citizens.■ Jeffrey Tse [ywc_jeffrey@hotmail.com]
Q&A
1. 迷你倉
2. 消除/減弱
3. 「一刀切」
4. 租戶
5. 毫不妥協
6. 持份者
7. 屋宇署
8. 凌駕
9. 替代方案
10. （勉強）承認
1. Mini-storage/self storage
2. abatement
3. across-the-board
4. tenant
5. make no concession
6. stakeholder
7. Buildings Department
8. override
9. alternative
10. concede