XN000022-1980-04-30 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1980

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FIREMEN EARN COMMENDATION FOR DARING RESCUE

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TWO FIREMEN RECEIVED COMMENDATIONS TODAY FROM THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR F.M. WATSON FOR THEIR PART IN RESCUING TWO MEN TRAPPED IN A NO 5 ALARM FIRE IN CHEUNG SHA WAN ROAD LAST DECEMBER.

AT A PRESENTATION CEREMONY HELD IN THE FIRE SERVICES HEADQUARTERS, MR WATSON HIGHLY COMMENDED FIREMAN TO KAM-CHAR FOR THE COURAGE, SKILL AND DETERMINATION HE DISPLAYED IN THE INCIDENT. SENIOR FIREMAN CHOW MAN-HING WAS COMMENDED FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND DETERMINATION.

THE FIRE STARTED IN A HUT AT AN MTR CONSTRUCTION SITE AT THE JUNCTION OF KWEILIN STREET AND CHEUNG SHA WAN ROAD ON DECEMBER 12, AT ABOUT 10.30 PM.

IT SPREAD QUICKLY TO AN ADJOINING BUILDING, ENGULFING THE FLOORS AND STAIRCASES. HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY OF THE TENANTS WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE OR WERE RESCUED BY FIREMEN ON SNORKEL APPLIANCES,

WHEN SENIOR FIREMAN CHOW MAN-HING WENT UP TO THE ROOF OF THE BURNING BUILDING, HE SAW TWO MEN TRAPPED ON ONE OF THE FLOORS BELOW. ONE PERCHED ON A CLOTHES RACK AND THE OTHER WAS LEANING OVER A WINDOW LEDGE ABOUT 21 METRES ABOVE GROUND DESPERATELY TRYING TO ESCAPE THE SMOKE AND HEAT.

SENIOR FIREMAN CHOW REASSURED THEM THAT THEY WOULD BE RESCUED AND ASKED THEM TO REMAIN CALM. HE THEN WENT DOWN AND BROUGHT UP A RESCUE LINE.

FIREMAN TO KAM-CHAR VOLUNTEERED TO BE LOWERED FROM THE ROOF

OF THE BURNING BUILDING TO RESCUE THE TWO MEN.

WITH THE LINE SAFELY SECURED, MR TO WAS LOWERED TO THE SEVENTH FLOOR. HE CLIMBED ALONG THE WINDOW SILLS UNTIL HE WAS DIRECTLY ABOVE THE CLOTHES RACK. HE WAS THEN ABLE TO TIE THE RESCUE LINE TO THE MAN WHO WAS THEN HOISTED TO THE ROOF.

FIREMAN TO RETRACED HIS TRACK ALONG THE WINDOW SILLS AND WAS ABLE TO REACH THE SECOND TRAPPED MAN WHO WAS LIFTED TO THE ROOF BY OTHER FIREMEN, MR TO THEN CHECKED THE ROOMS NEARBY BEFORE HE WAS HIMSELF HOISTED TO SAFETY.

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