110. The fire was brought under control at 21.21 hours, i.e. 56 minutes after the time of call, and damage was estimated at $143,000. Despite very thorough investigations by Fire Prevention Bureau officers the cause of the fire could not be determined.

Ship Fire-s.s. 'Tientsin'

111. On 6th May, 1965 a fire broke out in No. 2 hold of the s.s. 'Tientsin', a vessel of approximately 5,588 gross tons on passage to Australia from Hong Kong. The Captain decided to proceed to Zamboanga, Southern Philippines to which point the Marine Superin- tendent of the shipping line was flown from Hong Kong. Attempts to extinguish the fire at Zamboanga proved unsuccessful, and the vessel was moved to Manila where it arrived on 14th May.

112. Arrangements were made by the owners for the Chief Fire Prevention Officer, Hong Kong Fire Service, Mr. E. L. HANLON, to fly to Manila as a technical adviser and, if possible, to ascertain the cause of the fire. The Chief Fire Prevention Officer arrived in Manila on 14th May and after carrying out a survey made repeated attempts to enter No. 2 hold using breathing apparatus, but heat and smoke prevented him from penetrating more than a few feet. On each attempt it was observed that great heat was being generated although little flame could be seen.

113. Steam application and continuous discharges of CO2 gas were apparently holding the fire in check. The ship was anchored in Manila Bay and no local fire boat facilities or fire services resources suitable for dealing with a fire of this nature were available. It was, therefore, decided to sail the ship back to Hong Kong and to keep the fire in check during the voyage by massive and continuous CO2 injections.

114. The vessel arrived in Hong Kong at approximately 7 a.m. on Thursday, 20th May and the fire was finally extinguished by placing the ship in dry dock and flooding the affected hold. Despite very thorough investigations the cause of the fire could not be determined.

3rd Alarm--Beach Street, Kowloon

115. Shortly before 11 p.m. on 28th May, 1965 a fire broke out near the Tai Kok Tsui waterfront on land occupied by numerous single storey and two storey temporary workshops, timber yards, saw mills and scrap merchants.

116. Fire Service units which reached the scene within a few minutes of the first call being received were confronted with a rapidly

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