A Chinese-language complaint about fire safety
A resident sends this email in Chinese to your station's public enquiry address: 『我住喺永寧大廈12樓。昨晚約11點，我聞到好大陣煙味，走廊個消防喉轆箱好似被人鎖住，後樓梯又擺滿雜物，成日都係咁。我打去管理處，佢哋話「冇事嘅，之前都係咁」。我想問吓你哋幾時會嚟檢查？』 You are the station officer asked to draft a reply. The building is a 20-storey composite building with a licensed karaoke on the lower floors. You have no record of an inspection in the past 14 months. A colleague says the email is probably a nuisance complaint and suggests a standard holding reply. You must decide what can be treated as fact, what needs verification, and how to respond without promising an inspection date.
1. Translate the resident's key concerns into English and separate verifiable facts from opinion or hearsay.
Read the worked answer
Translation of the key points
- The resident lives on the 12th floor of Wing Ning Building.
- At about 11 pm last night, the resident smelled a strong smell of smoke.
- The fire hose reel cabinet in the corridor appeared to be locked.
- The rear staircase was full of杂物 (clutter/obstructions); the resident says this happens “all the time”.
- The resident called management, who said: “It's nothing; it has always been like this.”
- The resident asks when an inspection will take place.
Fact vs opinion/hearsay
Verifiable or potentially verifiable: the address and floor; the approximate time; the reported smoke smell; the condition of the hose reel cabinet; the obstruction in the rear staircase; the call to management.
Opinion, estimate or hearsay: “好大陣煙味” is subjective intensity; “好似” shows the resident is not certain the cabinet was locked; “成日都係咁” is a frequency claim that needs checking; management's “冇事嘅” is their opinion, not evidence. The email does not establish that a fire occurred, that the cabinet was actually locked, or that the staircase was obstructed at the time of an inspection. It does justify follow-up because two of the allegations, if true, are fire safety concerns.
2. Draft three follow-up questions in Chinese and explain what each is designed to establish.
Read the worked answer
「請問煙味係由邊個位置傳出？有冇見到煙或火光？當時走廊有冇煙？」 This separates a smell complaint from a fire incident. It establishes whether there was actual smoke, where it came from, and whether the caller's flat or the common corridor was affected. It also tests whether the 11 pm report was a one-off or part of a pattern.
「你話消防喉轆箱好似被鎖住，係邊一層、邊個位置？有冇相片？個箱有冇貼上『消防裝置』標誌？」 This turns “好似” into a specific, checkable observation. The location and photograph allow an officer to verify the condition; the signage question tests whether the resident saw an official notice or a makeshift lock.
「後樓梯嘅雜物大概係咩類型、佔咗幾多通道？管理處有冇跟進或清理？你幾時最後一次見到？」 This assesses whether the obstruction is a transient housekeeping issue or a persistent blockage of the means of escape. The management response is relevant because it may show a failure to act, but it is not proof.
Each question is designed to obtain evidence, not to argue with the resident. The answers should be recorded and compared with the building records and any previous complaints.
3. Write a short bilingual holding reply suitable for a member of the public, without admitting liability or promising an inspection date you cannot guarantee.
Read the worked answer
Chinese
多謝你於上述日期就永寧大廈消防安全的電郵。我們已記錄你提及的地點、時間及情況，並會按既定程序跟進。由於需要核實資料及安排人員，現階段未能確定巡查日期，如有需要我們會再與你聯絡。
如你發現火警、煙霧或即時危險，請立即致電999。平日請保持梯間暢通，勿阻塞逃生通道；如走廊有煙，應關門並留在安全位置等待指示。
English
Thank you for your email about fire safety at Wing Ning Building. We have recorded the location, time and details you reported and will follow up in accordance with established procedures. As the information must be verified and staff deployment arranged, we cannot confirm an inspection date at this stage. We will contact you again if necessary.
If you see fire, smoke or immediate danger, please call 999 at once. Please keep common areas clear and do not obstruct escape routes. If smoke enters the corridor, close the door and remain in a safe place until instructed.
Why this wording
The reply acknowledges receipt and records the complaint without saying the cabinet was locked or the staircase was obstructed. It does not promise a date, admit liability, or dismiss the complaint as a nuisance. It gives immediate safety advice and routes the resident to 999 for emergencies. The internal action is separate: check the building records, verify the hose reel and staircase, and decide whether an inspection is warranted.