FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1977
AWARD OF SILVER BEL IL IOS STAR ******
THE MANAGER AND AN EMPLOYEE OF A SEK KONG RESTAURANT AND A SENIOR LAND EXECUTIVE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION HAVE EACH BEEN AWARDED A SILVER BELILIOS STAR, A LOCAL HONOUR FOR BRAVERY.
IN A NOTIFICATION PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, THE GOVERNOR HAS APPROVED THE AWARDS TO MESSRS. CHUCK WING-HON, CHAN YIU-WING AND ARTHUR HENRY MACKRETH IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR BRAVERY IN RESCUING PASSENGERS FROM A BURNING PUBLIC BUS IN SEK KONG ON FEBRUARY 25 THIS YEAR.
THE FIVE-POINTED STAR IS AWARDED FOR ACTS OF VALOUR IN SAVING LIFE ON LAND.
UNDER THE TERMS OF A TRUST ESTABLISHED IN 1884 BY THE HON. EMMANUEL RAPHAEL BEL ILIOS, A REWARD FUND WAS SET UP FROM WHICH BEL ILIOS STARS AND/OR CASH AWARDS ARE GRANTED TO PERSONS RECOMMENDED FOR ACTS OF HEROISM IN SAVING LIFE.
THE TRUST IS HANDLED BY THE REGISTRAR GENERAL IN HIS CAPACITY AS OFFICIAL TRUSTEE AND ALL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARDS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR.
ONLY FOUR OTHER PERSONS HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE SILVER BEL IL IOS STARS SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
ON FEBRUARY 25 AT ABOUT 2.20 P.M., A PUBLIC BUS LADEN WITH PASSENGERS CRASHED INTO A SUPERMARKET AND RESTAURANT NEAR THE ROAD JUNCTION OF ROUTE TWISK AND LAM KAM ROAD CAUSING SIX DEATHS, NUMEROUS CASUALTIES AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY BY FIRE AND COLLISION.
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED CLOSE TO A PETROL FILLING STATION WHERE A BULK FUEL CARRIER WAS DISCHARGING FUEL INTO THE UNDERGROUND TANKS.
MESSRS. CHUCK, CHAN AND MACKRETH WERE SITTING INSIDE THE SEK KONG RESTAURANT WHEN THE BUS CRASHED INTO IT.
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WITH GREAT PRESENCE OF MIND AND COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR THE IR OWN SAFETY, THEY IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AND ENTERED THE BURNING BUS TO HELP THE SHOCKED AND INJURED PASSENGERS MAKE THEIR ESCAPE.
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND COURAGE IN ENTERING THE BURNING VEHICLE TO ASSIST IN THE EVACUATION OF PASSENGERS, THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE BEEN MUCH HIGHER.
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