XN000022-1978-03-10 — Page 3

FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1978

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TWO FIREMEN RECEIVE QUEEN'S COMMENDATION FOR BRAVERY

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HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN HAS AWARDED THE QUEEN'S COMMENDATION FOR BRAVE CONDUCT TO TWO FIREMEN FOR THEIR EXEMPLARY ACTION IN A FIRE RESCUE OPERATION IN APRIL LAST YEAR.

THE AWARDS TO SENIOR FIREMAN NG CHOI-LEUNG AND FIREMAN CHEUNG CHING WERE PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

MR. NG AND MR. CHEUNG, IN DISREGARD OF THEIR PERSONAL RISKS HAD LEAD SOME 37 PEOPLE WHO WERE TRAPPED INSIDE A BURNING BUILDING TO A PLACE OF SAFETY DURING A FIRE THAT OCCURRED ON APRIL 14 LAST YEAR FOLLOWING AN EXPLOSION IN A SUPERMARKET WHICH OCCUPIED THE. GROUND FLOOR AND THE COCKLOFT OF A FOUR-STOREY BUILDING. AT NO. 176 PRATAS STREET, KOWLOON.

THE FIRE IMMEDIATELY SPREAD THROUGH THE STAIRCASES TO THE UPPER FLOORS.

MR. NG AND MR. CHEUNG WERE AMONG THE FIRST CREWS TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE.

ON RECEIVING AN ORDER FROM THE COMMANDING OFFICER, THEY MADE A DETERMINED EFFORT TO ENTER THE BURNING BUILDING BY THE MAIN STAIRCASE TO THE UPPER FLOORS WHERE A LARGE NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. THE IR FIRST ATTEMPT WAS STOPPED BY THE INTENSIVE HEAT,

THEY THEN SOAKED THEIR CLOTHING IN WATER AND MADE A SECOND ATTEMPT. THIS TIME THEY SUCCEEDED IN REACHING THE OCCUPANTS WHO WERE IN A STATE OF PANIC.

MR. NG AND MR. CHEUNG MANAGED TO LEAD THE PEOPLE THROUGH THE SMOKE-LOGGED STAIRCASES TO THE SAFETY OF THE ROOF BY COVERING THEIR FACES WITH WET CLOTH. LATER THE PEOPLE WERE BROUGHT DOWN FROM THE ROOF BY A TURNTABLE LADDER.

FIREMEN NG AND CHEUNG THEN RETURNED TO THE BUILDING TO MAKE THEIR FINAL SEARCH BUT FOUND NO OTHER PERSONS IN IT.

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