| Syazwani Hj Rosli |
IN AN effort to raise awareness on the importance of safety and security measures as well as fire prevention measures, the Fire and Rescue Department yesterday held a briefing on ‘Klinik Garis Pandu Bagi Kedai Mesin Pencuci’ for more than 100 local entrepreneurs, architects, consultants and members of the public.
The briefing was held at the multipurpose hall of the Fire and Rescue Department, Old Airport in Berakas.
Present as guest of honour was Lim Hock Guan, the Deputy Director of Fire and Rescue Department.
The briefing began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat led by Ustaz Othman bin Asat, a religious educator at the Fire and Rescue Department, followed by welcoming remarks by the guest of honour.
Lim highlighted that the briefing was held in the wake of the laundrette fire incident last year which resulted in the death of a local resident.
The Fire and Rescue Department’s investigations, he said, found that the laundry shop had not complied with fire safety requirements.
“The majority of the laundry services, registered under the Registry of Companies and Business Names (ROCBN) have not submitted any plans to be approved by the department,” Lim said.
“Although Brunei’s ‘ease of doing business’ initiatives have simplified the process for starting a business, the need for fire prevention measures should be considered a serious matter to protect people’s lives.”
Lim added that the department received 12 laundry service applications through the ROCBN and six through the Authority for Building Control and Construction Industry (ABCi), and the department’s inspections found that only parts of the applications were able to meet the fire safety measures requirements, with the remaining portions coming up short.
The deputy director also stressed on Chapter 18 Fire Safety Order 2016 on ‘power to order closure of premises in emergency’, which gives the Fire and Rescue Department authority to order the closure of premises that fail to comply with fire safety requirements.
The launderette guidelines briefing was delivered by Taib bin Haji Abdul Kahar, Senior Superintendent at the Fire and Rescue Department and Head of the Fire Safety Section.
Also present were YB Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Abdul Rahman, a Legislative Council member; assistant directors, senior officers and staff members of the Fire and Rescue Department; as well as representatives from various government agencies.
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