FIRE AND OTHER OCCURRENCES
DURING the year under review a total of 1,812 calls were received and responded to by the Fire Services Department, as against 1,841 for the preceding year. Classifications of these calls were:
Fires:
Buildings ...
Chimneys
Electrical...
Grass and shrubbery
Motor vehicles
Ships
160
37
308
151
61
18
36
627 1,398
Squatter areas
Small fires
False Alarms:
With good intent
Malicious
61
59
120
Special Services:
Landslides, House Collapse, Drowning,
Floods, etc.
294
294
Total
1,812
The estimated monetary loss by fires was $4,268,830.15.
2. Brief details of the more notable fires are appended below: 7th April, 1960-Nos. 119-121, Connaught Road, WEST, HONG KONG
A serious fire broke out on the ground floor of 121, Connaught Road, West, Hong Kong, on 7th April, 1960 at 1619 hours. In a short space of time, numerous explosions in the building caused the fire to spread to the upper floors of adjacent buildings. Despite the rapidity with which the fire engulfed No. 121, largely due to the quantity of combustible material stored there, it was possible to prevent the ground floor of No. 123, Connaught Road, used as a kerosene and match store, catching fire.
After 2 hours the combined effect of seven fire appliances and one fire boat succeeded in bringing this fire under control, In the interval, six people had lost their lives and eight had been injured. Six others had been rescued by firemen.
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