the building before the arrival of the Fire Brigade. As all the windows were barred, five persons who were trapped in the building were unable to make their escape, nor was the Fire Brigade able to rescue them. Three other inmates managed to escape but one of them, a female, who was severely burnt, succumbed to her injuries after admission to hospital.
1st Nov., 1955-A fire broke out on Tuesday the 1st November, 1955 in the squatter area at Fa Hui Village, Kowloon Tsai, the call being received at Kowloon Fire Station at 13.10 hours. On receipt of the call, a number of fire appliances and ambulances were rushed to the scene. There was no doubt that the fire had been burning for some time before the fire call was given to the Fire Brigade. On arrival of the first fire appliance, it was observed that the huts on both sides of the fire lane were well alight and burning furiously. Owing to the call being a late one the fire had gained a firm hold on the area and the Fire Brigade en- countered great difficulty in confining it to its original site. The fire was attacked from the most advantageous positions on the South, East and West sections and was controlled after a short period within these sections and any risk of its spreading was eliminated. The fire was brought under control at 14.09 hours. The total number of casualties record- ed was 5 dead and 16 injured. 428 squatter structures covering an area of about 350′ X 900' were destroyed. The fire was caused by burning firewood falling from an unattended chatty and igniting combustible materials on the floor.
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