Hong Kong's garage owners fear safety crackdown after fatal blast will drive them out of business
1,300 car repair shops face prospect of closure after government issues letter saying they cannot operate under residential buildings
Garage owners fear an "ambiguous" government letter telling them they cannot operate under residential buildings will force them to close - and charge bigger repair bills for motorists.
The letter - issued by three departments last week - was issued in light of an explosion in a Wong Tai Sin garage in April that killed three people. It says no domestic building shall be used as a motor repair shop or for painting.
An unauthorised garage that fixed taxis using liquefied petroleum gas was ripped apart in the blast, prompting concerns about the safety of such workshops.
The Buildings Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Labour Department said they were taking action in accordance with the law. The Buildings Department would step in if it found an imminent danger to life or property, or a serious health or environmental nuisance.
"In particular, BD will take follow-up action against vehicle repair workshops with paint spraying activities in view of the serious fire risk and health nuisance," a statement said.
Government figures show there are close to 2,700 vehicle workshops, and around 1,300 of them are on the ground floor of residential buildings.
Veteran repairer Lau Chun has run his workshop under a residential block in Yuen Long for over 30 years, mostly fixing air conditioners, starter motors and generators. He said the letter was ambiguous and troubling because it failed to spell out what could be done in residential buildings.
