TMENT LIBRARY
After a strenuous battle with the fire, the firemen brought it under control in two hours. Approximately 2,600 persons were rendered homeless by the fire which, if it had not been for the efforts of the Fire Brigade, could easily have developed into a very serious one involving a larger area.
6th November, 1957----
Fire broke out at No. 11, Centre Street, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong. Seven fire appliances and No. 2 Fire Boat responded to the call and brought the fire under control within thirty minutes. The premises consisted of a four-storey tenement house of brick and wooden construction. One Chinese female, aged thirty six years, and three children, ranging from four to seven years old, were burnt to death before the arrival of the Fire Brigade. After the fire was brought under control the two upper floors and roof of No. 11, Centre Street, collapsed.
21st November, 1957—
At 21.12 hours on 21st November, 1957, the Fire Brigade received a fire call involving a number of squatter huts at Un Chau Street, near Wing Lung Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon. Six fire appliances and one fire boat responded and after a fifty- minute battle with the fire brought it under control. The huts, numbering approximately 140, were used as dwellings and timber stores, and covered an area of 22,500 square feet. A number of the wooden huts were destroyed by fire. No casualties occurred.
19th December, 1957—
At 01.19 hours the Fire Brigade received a call to the Far East Oxygen and Acetylene Co., Ltd., To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon. As the fire appliances were proceeding to the factory, a serious explosion occurred coupled with a big flash across the area. On arrival at the factory the Brigade found that the fire had gained a firm hold on the building. A large number of explosions occurred as the gas cylinders became involved in the fire; a number of these were blown many feet into the air and came down in various sections adjoining the factory area. This was a serious fire, and additional fire appliances and ambulances were rushed to the scene to fight the blaze. By strenuous work the Fire Brigade, which was operating under dangerous condi- tions due to the explosion of gas cylinders, was able to confine
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