This Nov 21, 2011 photo shows a view of old residential buildings in Sham Shui Po in Kowloon, Hong Kong. (AARON TAM / AFP)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department (FSD) and Buildings Department (BD) will inspect about 2,500 domestic or composite buildings more than 60 years old across the city by the end of this year. 

The decision was unveiled in a statement on Monday evening, hours after Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor visited the site of a fire that started in an old four-storey residential building with a single staircase in Yau Ma Tei on Sunday evening, killing seven, including an eight-year-old boy. 

In light of the risks exposed by this fire accident, I have asked the FSD and the BD to further step up inspections to eliminate serious fire safety threats to safeguard people's lives and property. 

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Hong Kong's chief executive

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The blaze that was put out within minutes of firefighters arriving at the scene on Sunday evening is believed to have started at a second-floor unit, later identified as an unlicensed restaurant.

During the upcoming inspection, the two departments will “pay special attention” to the condition of the buildings’ common means of escapes and assess if there are fire hazards.

“In light of the risks exposed by this fire accident, I have asked the FSD and the BD to further step up inspections to eliminate serious fire safety threats to safeguard people's lives and property,” Lam was quoted as saying in the statement.

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The FSD and BD will take appropriate enforcement actions against contraventions, including starting prosecutions against offenders. Currently, those found obstructing the execution of works to comply with BD's order without reasonable excuse may be prosecuted and liable to be fined a maximum of HK$10,000 and imprisoned for six months upon conviction.

The deceased were all people from the city’s ethnic minority groups. The FSD plans to reach out to local ethnic minorities and relevant groups to learn more about their gathering places where religious and cultural activities are held. The FSD aims to conduct fire safety inspections at such places and to promote fire safety awareness.