XN000022-1979-02-16 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1979

FIRE OFFICERS HONOURED FOR RESCUE

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A FIRE OFFICER AND 13 FIREMEN HAVE BEEN HIGHLY COMMENDED FOR THEIR COURAGE, TENACITY AND PROFESSIONAL SKILL IN A RESCUE OPERATION LAST DECEMBER,

MR. ALAN JONES, CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, NEW TERRITORIES, WILL PRESENT THE DIRECTOR'S COMMENDATION TO ASSISTANT DIVISIONAL OFFICER WONG LOK-QUAN IN A CEREMONY TO BE HELD AT THE TSING YI FIRE STATION ON TUESDAY (FEBRUARY 20).

FAVOURABLE REMARKS WILL BE MADE IN THE PERSONAL FILES OF THE OTHER 13 FIREMEN IN RECOGNITION OF THE IR PROFESSIONAL AND DEDICATED CONDUCT.

ADO WONG AND HIS MEN RESCUED TWO WOMEN HELD HOSTAGE BY A CHOPPER-WIELDING MAN IN A LOCKED ROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF BLOCK 2, KWAI CHUNG ESTATE, TSUEN WAN ON DECEMBER 10 LAST YEAR.

THE MAN, BELIEVED TO BE MENTALLY-UNBALANCED, ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO SET FIRE TO THE FLAT.

DETERMINED FIREMEN FORCED OPEN THE DOOR AND, WITH THE HELP OF A WELL-DIRECTED WATER JET SEPARATED THE HOSTAGES FROM THE MAN. THE WOMEN WERE PROMPTLY LED TO SAFETY, UNINJURED.

THE MAN SUBSEQUENTLY FELL OR JUMPED FROM THE THIRD FLOOR BUT WAS SAVED BY A WELL-PLACED JUMPING SHEET HELD BY FIREMEN ON THE GROUND.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF THE DIRECTOR'S COMMENDATION TO ASSISTANT DIVISIONAL OFFICER, WONG LOK-QUAN, AT THE TSING YI FIRE STATION AT 10 A.M. ON TUESDAY (FEBRUARY 20).