246
K 36
7. The number of pedestal hydrants was increased by twenty-eight while the number of ball hydrants was decreased by four during the year: the total number of hydrants now being 1,358, viz:-
Pedestal hydrants :-
Hong Kong (including Peak)
Kowloon
Ball hydrants :-
Hong Kong (including Peak)
162
118
K 87
CALLS.
11. The number of calls received during the year totalled 210, actual fires 166, chimney fires 18, collapses 4, landslides 2 and false alarms 20. Compared with the previous year (1932) there was a decrease of fifty-two calls. Thirty-seven were re- ceived by fire alarm, one hundred and fifty by telephone, four by Police and nineteen from messengers.
12. Of the false alarms, three were maliciously given, twelve were given with good intent, and five were due to elec- trical faults.
700
Kowloon (including New Territories)
378
+
Total
1,358
The above were regularly inspected every quarter.
FIRES, LOSS OF LIFE AND RESCUES.
One
8. Fatalities at fires amounted to eighteen in all. person, aged 86, was burned to death in a hut 6 x 6 feet in the remote village of Tung Tau. One person died from burns received as a result of the igniting of inflammable spirit in the yard of a house in Staunton Street. Four persons, includ- ing two children, were drowned and another person burned to death as a result of a fire which occurred on a junk in Tsun Wan Bay. Six persons perished as a result of the disastrous fire which occurred in a five-storeyed building in Eastern Street where they were trapped in a kitchen in the rear of the upper floor.
Three persons were suffocated while two others succumbed to their injuries at the fire which occurred in two adjoining four-storeyed buildings used as rattan-matting and card-board box factories and tenement dwellings in Reclamation Street. At this fire thirteen persons were rescued by Brigade appliances.
9. Two persons lost their lives as a result of the collapse of the third floor verandah of a private house in Yuk Shau Street, Wong Nei Chung.
STAFF KILLED OR INJURED IN THE EXECUTION OF DUTY.
10. Fireman. No. 77, Wu Choi, was killed as a result of the collapse of the floors at a fire in Queen's Road, Central.
Fourth Officer, G. C. Moss, received an injury to his right hand at a fire in Canton Road.
THEATRE AND OTHER DUTIES.
13. Duties performed by members of the Brigade at pubije and private entertainments during the year totalled 472, com- prising altogether 3,344 hours.
FIRE INSPECTION WORK.
14. The following inspections were made by the Brigade and reported during the year: —
Theatres and Cinemas
268
Boarding Houses and Chinese Hotels
70
Factories
661
Garages
885
Licensed Premises (Liquor licences)
86
Restaurants
54
Timber Yards
29
Public Buildings
75
Inflammable Liquid Stores
318
129
Kerosene Stores
1,037
Dangerous Goods Storages
421
Offensive Trades
18
406
47
81
Petrol Pumps
Firework Storages
Neon Light Installations Vernacular Schools
Dancing Halls and Academies Fire Service Installations
333
Total
4,548
247