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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1983
THREE MEN COMMENDED FOR SAVING BOY FROM FIRE
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THREE RESIDENTS OF A HOUSING ESTATE WERE TODAY PRESENTED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES'S COMMENDATION FOR THEIR
INITIATIVE, COURAGE AND DETERMINATION IN RESCUING A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY FROM A BURNING FLAT IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR.
THE PRESENTATIONS WERE MADE TO MR LIU FU-WING, MR LEUNG WAI AND MR LAU KI-TIM, BY THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, KOWLOON FIRE COMMAND, MR M. KINGDOM, AT A CEREMONY HELD AT THE YAU TONG FIRE STATION.
THE BOY, LAI CHEUNG-WAH, HAD BEEN ALONE IN THE FLAT AT ROOM 1125, BLOCK 15, LAM TIN ESTATE, 11TH FLOOR, ON DECEMBER 3, 1982, WHEN THE RESCUE WAS CARRIED OUT.
HIS MOTHER HAD GONE OUT AND HE WAS PLAYING WITH MATCHES AND A CANDLE WHEN THE BED CAUGHT FIRE, AND HE FOUND HIMSELF TRAPPED BY A LOCKED GATE. THE THREE RESCUERS, ALL NEIGHBOURS, RESPONDED QUICKLY TO THE BOY'S SHOUTS.
MR LAU PICKED UP AN AXE AND TRIED TO BREAK OPEN THE GATE WHILE MR LEUNG PROVIDED PROTECTION TO THE BOY WITH A PIECE OF WET CLOTH. MEANWHILE MR LIU CALLED THE FIRE SERVICES AND THEN HELPED THE OTHER TWO MEN RESCUE THE BOY BEFORE THE FIRE SERVICES ARRIVED.
NT BUILDING FOUND IN DANGEROUS CONDITION
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THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DECLARED A SINGLE- STOREY PRE-WAR BUILDING AT HANG TAU VILLAGE IN SHEUNG SHUI TO BE IN DANGEROUS CONDITION.
THE BUILDING, LOCATED AT NO. 12, SECTION 1 OF THE VILLAGE, IS MADE OF LOAD-BEARING BRICKS WITH MUD-BLOCK WALLS AND A TILED ROOF SUPPORTED BY CHINA FIRS.
A RECENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT A PORTION OF A WALL AND THE ROOF HAD COLLAPSED, THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT SURVEYOR SAID.
ALTHOUGH EFFORTS WERE BEING MADE TO REPAIR THE BUILDING, THE WALLS WERE SO WEAK AND FRACTURED AND THE CHINA FIRS SO DECAYED THAT THERE COULD BE A FURTHER COLLAPSE, HE EXPLAINED.
FOR THIS REASON, IT WAS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO CLOSE THE BUILDING, HE ADDED.
NOT CE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR A CLOSURE ORDER IN KOWLOON DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 AM ON FEBRUARY 23 WAS POSTED TODAY.
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