Hong Kong mandates fire escape hoods in hotels and guest houses to boost safety

Hong Kong hotels and guest houses are required to provide fire escape hoods to ensure customer safety, with authorities giving the sector a one-year grace period, the city’s home affairs minister has said.Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen also said on Saturday that the government would discuss implementation arrangements with the sector soon, after some representatives flagged that they had not been consulted before the requirement was introduced.“We have heard different comments from the hotel and guest house sector ... I am certain that the sector, the public and the government hope to enhance the fire safety of the premises and safeguard tourists’ safety,” she said.