The Fire Services Department on Thursday denied any problem in its system or equipment in causing the death of a fireman in a No 4 alarm fire in 2010.

But Lo Siu-hang, assistant director of New Territories Fire Command Headquarters, admitted to human errors by members of staff.

Lo read out an investigative report at the corner's inquest into the death of Yeung Chun-kit, in a fire that also injured three other firemen in an industrial building in Cheung Sha Wan on March 8, 2010.

Lo, who led a five-person investigative team into the causes of the fire and Yeung's death, concluded that there were three mistakes: Firemen failed to activate the "man down" alarms in their breathing apparatus; supervisors failed to direct them to do so; and the control center mistakenly deleted a message to upgrade the fire to a No 4 alarm one.

Lo said there was no problem in the fire rescue system, working procedures, or equipment.

Lo's remarks contradicted earlier testimony by fireman Ng Wai-lam that firemen don't trust the "man down" alarm as it often sounds false alarms.

Lo told the court, the department tested Yeung's breathing apparatus and found nothing abnormal.

He said he believes Yeung's handheld radio was also functioning properly at the fire scene, though two firemen complained that the radio line was busy.

The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department tested the machine and the Fire Services Department also tested radio reception, he added.

Yeung didn't call for help through his handheld radio, nor did he turn on the "man down" alarm before he lost consciousness, Lo said.

The assistant director said be believes Yeung's failure to trigger the alarm may have resulted from the sudden onset of the heart attack that took his life.

Even if Yeung had turned on the alarm, Lo wrote in his report, there would have been only a very slim chance to get him out within the golden five minutes for rescue after the heart attack.

He explained that Yeung fell deep inside the fire scene. It took 10 minutes for other firemen to remove his body after it was located two hours later.

However, that conclusion was dismissed as groundless by Coroner Michael Chan Pik-kiu.

Chan said he believes there was a possibility that Yeung's colleagues could have found him quickly enough if the "man down" alarm were on.

The 18-minute delay in raising the fire's status was not directly related to Yeung's death, Lo said.

Although Lo denied any system flaws or equipment problems, he called for three improvements - which had been implemented by the Fire Services Department in 2010 - introduction of regular medical examinations, upgrading the control center system, and strengthening the use of breathing apparatus.

The Fire Services Department introduced new breathing apparatus soon after the fire, in April 2010, one month after Yeung died.

guojiaxue@chinadailyhk.com

China Daily

(HK Edition 09/02/2011 page1)