XN000022-1976-10-31 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1976

THIRTEEN SHIP FIRES SO FAR THIS YEAR

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S FIREBOATS WERE CALLED OUT TO PUT OUT 13 SHIP FIRES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

SOME OF THE FIRE FIGHTING BATTLES LASTED AS LONG AS EIGHT HOURS WHILE A NUMBER REQUIRED LESS THAN HALF-AN-HOUR TO PUT OUT.

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OF THE TOTAL, SIX BROKE OUT ON OCEAN-GOING VESSELS AND THE REMAINING SEVEN INVOLVED FISHING JUNKS, A PLEASURE CRAFT AND A REFUSE BARGE.

ACCORDING TO A FIRE SERVICES SPOKESMAN, FIREMEN BATTLED A FIRE ON THE CARGO SHIP LEDESCO TRES AT JUNK BAY ON MARCH 24 FOR SEVEN HOURS AND 57 MINUTES, A LARGE QUANTITY OF FINISHED PLASTIC AND ELECTRICAL GOODS WAS DAMAGED.

IN ANOTHER INCIDENT ON MAY 3, IT TOOK FIREMEN THREE HOURS AND 41 MINUTES TO EXTINGUISH A BLAZE ON BOARD AN 8,000-TON CARGO VESSEL, STRAAT HONG KONG. THE FIRE INVOLVED 1,500 BAGS OF CHARCOAL WEIGHING MORE THAN 73 TONS.

FIREBOATS WERE TWICE CALLED OUT TO THE GUARDSHIP CHICHESTER EARLY THIS YEAR. BOTH INCIDENTS LASTED

LESS THAN 30 MINUTES. THE SHIP HAD SINCE SAILED BACK

TO BRITAIN IN LATE MARCH AFTER THREE YEARS' SERVICE IN HONG KONG.

THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT PRESENT MAINTAINS A FLEET OF SIX BOATS TO CARRY OUT FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE DUTIES AT SEA.

OF THE SIX VESSELS, THE LARGEST IS THE 350-TON ALEXANDER GRANTHAM, ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL OF ITS TYPE IN THE WORLD.

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IT HAS AN OUTPUT CAPACITY OF 10,000 GALLONS OF WATER AND 7,300 GALLONS OF FOAM A MINUTE. IN ADDITION TO AN ARRAY OF FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT, IT IS ALSO FITTED WITH A HYDRAULIC RESCUE AND WATER TOWER WITH A PLATFORM WHICH CAN BE RAISED TO A HEIGHT OF 60 FEET.

THE OTHERS VARY IN SIZE FROM A 40-FOOT LAUNCH CAPABLE OF PUMPING 1,000 GALLONS A MINUTE TO A 94-TON VESSEL WHICH CAN PUMP 4,000 GALLONS A MINUTE.

BESIDES TACKLING FIRES ABOARD SHIPS, THE FIREBOATS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FIGHTING OIL POLLUTION, GRASS FIRES AND LAND FIRES.

THE VESSELS ALSO PROVIDE PROTECTION TO DOCKSIDE WAREHOUSES, TIMBER YARDS AND OTHER WATERFRONT INSTALLATIONS.

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