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6. The number of pedestal hydrants was increased by forty-seven while the number of ball hydrants was decreased by twenty-eight during the year; the total number of hydrants now being 1,334 viz.,
Hong Kong (pedestal hydrants) (including Peak)... 151
Kowloon (pedestal hydrants)... 101
Hong Kong (ball hydrants) (including Peak)......... 702
Kowloon (ball hydrants) (including New Territories) 380
Total... 1,334
The above hydrants were regularly inspected every quarter.
FIRES, LOSS OF LIFE AND RESCUES.
7. Fatalities at fires amounted to sixteen in all. Four persons were burned to death at a fire which occurred in a four-storeyed building, used as cotton-quilt manufacturers and tenement dwelling, in Shanghai Street. One person, aged 70, was burned to death in a shed at Sheung Shui Wai, New Territories. Two persons perished as a result of the explosion and fire on the S.S. "Chip Sang" when loading benzine at Lai Chi Kok. Eight persons were burned to death while four others succumbed to their injuries at the fire which occurred in two adjoining three-storeyed buildings in Pei Ho Street, Sham Shui Po. At this fire ten persons were rescued by means of Brigade appliances. The remaining fatality occurred at a fire in Canton Road where, in addition, five persons were seriously injured and two persons were rescued by means of Brigade appliances.
8. Two persons lost their lives as a result of collapses and landslides, while eleven persons were extricated alive. Of the above the most serious was the collapse of two buildings in Yat Fu Lane, West Point, where one boy was killed and seven other persons partially buried by the debris.
CALLS.
9. The number of calls received during the year totalled 262, actual fires 201, chimney fires 21, collapses 6, landslides 3 and false alarms 31. Compared with the previous year (1931) there was an increase of sixty-three calls. Sixty-five were received by fire alarm, one hundred and forty-nine by telephone, fifteen by Police and thirty-three from messengers.
10. Of the false alarms, seven were maliciously given, eleven were given with good intent, and thirteen were due to electrical faults.