CO129-614-1 Commission of Inquiry into fire at West Point- report 26-5-1949 - 22-12-1949 — Page 29

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for all the godowns, and in which all the books were kept. Floor spaces are obstructed by concrete pillars which form part of the framework of the building. This godown had three iron flush-fitted doors on the sea- front side, one on the Whitty Strect side (bricked up), and two at the rear giving access into the scavenging lane. There are five vertical rows of windows on the Whitty Street side, nine vertical rows of windows on the seafront and southern sides, and no windows on the western side. All ground floor windows have fanlights. The windows themselves consisted of small panes of wired glass, but on the ground floor at the rear all except the most easterly window had been replaced during the Japanese Occupation by panes of ordinary glass. The windows are protected by substantial iron bars placed close together and embedded in the brickwork of the walls. There are two slightly elevated structures on the roof at the top of the staircase, and those structures were fitted with oblique glass louvres to allow ventilation when the main windows and doors were

closed.

Description of Nos. 351 - 367 Des Voeux Road West:

19. The Des Vocux Road building was also constructed in 1926 as a block of four-storey standard Chinese-style tenement flats, with ground floors to be occupied by shops, etc. It appears that it was difficult to lease these ground floors, so that in 1927 with the approval of the Public

Works Department, the ground floor openings were bricked up, the level of the floor of the back yard raised to the first floor, and the result- ing space turned into a godown. The floor of the new back yard was of

strong construction and of course now formed part of the roof of the go- down. Access to the godown was through an iron door in Whitty Street, but there were also two doors into the scavenging lane at the rear, which were apparently not used, and two iron doors giving direct access to Des

Voeux Road. There were a number of small windows on all sides, and some

ventilating fanlights on the Des Voeux Road side.

20. The 36 tenement flats were of normal construction, each consisting

of a single room with french windows opening on to a balcony in front

and windows and a door leading to kitchens and lavatories behind. The