1931-11-27 — Page 6

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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1931.

POTTINGER STREET FIRE INQUIRY.

CORONER'S SUGGESTIONS FOR SLUM CLEARANCE

AND REBUILDING:

SGT; WILLIAMSON'S CONDUCT PRAISED.

The inquiry into the disastrous Are in Pottinger Street in the i curly hours of November 8, when six people lost their livese was

concluded at Central Magistenay yesterday,

Of particular interest was the samning up of the Coroner, Mr. W. Schofield, who paid a tribute to the excellent work done by Sergiant Williamson and the Fire Brigade. The jury, in their find- ing, stated that but for the excellent work of Sergeant Williamson, more lives might have been lost.

The Coroner commented on the old fashioned and faulty con- struction of the house which was gutted. Ho thought that for the deftets in the older houses in the city, the only adequate rameny was a wholesale and properly planned policy of slum olearing and rebuilding, combined with Street widening, if possible, the provi- sion of open spaces,

The jury stated in their verdict that the cquse of the fire was unknown.

-

SIX CAUSES FOR LOSS OF LIFE.

In Iris summing up. Mr. Schochen were found by the firemen at field muid:~!' At the outset of this 8.30 am. Nothing could have been 'inquest, 1 propounded four ques done to save them.

tions, viz.

1-How did the fire originato 1 2-Did the Police and Fire Brigade do all that could have been donn under the eirciimstances?

3-Decs any blame direct or in- direct, rest on anyone for failure to prevent the fire?

+

3. The question as to whether the fire was due to the act or neg fleet of any person cannot be an- swered owing to lack of credible ovidence. The allegations of the tenants of the ground floor seem to me to be completely mot by the evidence of the first and second foor 4.What were the reasons for the tenants and of Sergeant William- loss of life 1

aon; but even if you are not satis- fed that the landlord kept the stairs in proper condition, it would diet of manslaughter. not be sufficient grounds for a ver

Before considering the evidence bearing on these questions, I may remind you that medical evidence shows that Chan Lin Fai, the de 4-Tho loss of life can be put ceased, died of shock resulting from down to six different causes acting extensive barns received in the are together (1) failing to detect the and the object of this inquest is fire before it had got a firm hold; determine whether his death was (2) the sudden failure of the electric thue to the act, or default, of a lights and the resultant confusion person, and what degree of respond panic; (3) attempts to ILVE sibility attaches to that person. property where there was not suf- So far as the evidence goes, theficient time to do so: one man at cause of the Bre is completely unleast actually went back to rescue known. Everyone in the house ro this goods; (4) the wooden stair tired for the night before midnight. case catching fire before all tho. The nightsoil coolic visited the first first and second floor people had and second floors between 1 and time to escape; (5) the inadequney him about two hours before the of the ladder loading to the roof, fire, and noticed nothing wrong. children would find such a ladder Yet at 2.45 am, the ground Roor very hard to climb; (6) the ab- tenants woke up to find the baresence of a door or window in the ment ablaze, and the fire getting a kitchen that could be shut.

This hold on the ground floor. It is ad allowed Rames and smoke mahing. mitted that the shop was a car up the air shaft to enter the kitchen penter's shop, and that paints had and overpower the people there oils were kept on the premises, though not in large quantities: & number of drums of linseed oil in the baarment were said to have been empty.

1

The Reai Uanse

Mout of these

Causes can be summed up in a single one: the old-fashioned and faulty construc- tion of the house built, in four storeys on an inadequate site, End with a staircase of material unable to resist fire.

Was Cigarette the Cause? Some witnesses who lived on the ground floor give it as their opinion that a cigarette end may have drop-

For these defects in the older ped through what they describe as houses in this city the only ade- the broken stairense to the first quite remedy appears to be A floor. All these witnesses state that wholesale and properly planned the stairs and holes in them big policy of slum clearance and re- enough for a cat get through; building, especially in the Central one witless said that three months district, combined with. street before, a cigureste did actually drop widenning, and if possible the pro- thorough the stars into the best vision of open spaces; and for this ment down the stairs and he picked policy the danger from fre is, in it up; and that people were always my opinion, neither the only nor kong up and down stairs to the the strongest argument. You will first and second floor to play mah. remember that one of the difficulties jongg. The master of the shop suid of the fire brigade was the narrow ho had been blamed by the landanti alippery character of Pottinger ford tor complaming of the bad atate Street. The steps at the top and of repair of the shop...

bottom and the paving of the steep Th, evidence of the first and make it inaccessible to fire escapes; second floor principal tenants and so that repaving of the streets would of Sergeant Williamson, to the seems desirable as well as rebuilding effect that the stairs were not deof thy houses,

lapidated but had a couple of crud Another point I wish to draw in them large enough to let your attention to is the fact that cigarettes rall through, throws cen the ground floor of No. 44 contain- ||niderablà „doubt on the statements ed, or perhaps still contains, an of the ground floor witnesses, as aminunition store. Had this house also does Mr. Buttonjee's evidence been seriously involved, as it very It makes it difficult to accept their nearly was, the loss of life might story and gives ground for suspicion well have been & good deal larger. that they have something to hide, If you wish to draw bay riders on possibly some acts of curelease; this point or others, you may do but in the absence of evidence, you 40. If you consider that the origin are at liberty to accept the sugges of tho fra ia accidental, you should on of the witnesses if you think return a verdict of “Denth by Mis- adventure." "If you consider that any persons are to blame, a rider ensuring them may be brought in.

hit..

-Very soon after the fire was discovered and the ground for tenants escaped, Sergeant William. If you are not agreed how the fire son was on the sceic. He found the fire in much the same state as it was when the tenants were awaker ed by it. The time was 3.45 a.m. You heard him describe what he did in elecring the three houses affected by the firs.

Fire Brigade Commended,

started, you might return an' open verdiet, stating the chuse of death and attributing it to a fire whose origin is not known.

31

Death by Misadventure. „ The jury retired for five minutes. and returned a verdict as follows:

As regards the cause of the fire,: I consider he did extremely smart return an open verdict as the. [work at considerable risk. The Fire cause is unknown. As rogard the Brigade received the call at 3.46 enuse of death of Chan Lem Fai .mant in three minutes three as we wish to return a verdict of plishers had been sent out to the Death by Misadventure," #cho in succession and all the Hong We consider the Fire Brigade and Kong side appliances had been the Police did all they could under fordered out. The Superintendent the circuinstances; in particular wo luft ut 360 am, and can only have would like to commend Sergeaut taken two or three minutes to get Williamson'a conduct as we think to the scene, yet already the ground that had he not boted as he did floor and the staircase had collapse, there might have been more lives showing how rapidly the fire was lost in the fire. spreading,

The Coroner: I entirely agreo Under the circumstances I think with your remarks concerning the the fact that the next door house conduct of Sergeant Williamson. I were never seriously involved re may point out that he was awsIÓ: Alcots great credit on the Fire the whole time of the ammunition Brigade. No information that any storn, next door. Thank you very qne was missing reached them until i much for your attendance. It has the bodies in the second fidor kit been a rather long inquiry:

CHINESE ART

(AUCTION BALE FOR CHARITY.

In connection with Shp -auction- sale of Chinese Art Treasures for charity to be held in the Music Room of the City Hall at 3 o'clock this afternoon, it is gratifying to note that another generous donor har como forward to add a rarity to the sale. The article is an anaient Tink slab of the Sung Dynasty (A.D). 808-1878) belonging to Mr. Tong Chịu Nung, & matiye of Chekiang and manager of the World Book Store. Though a buyer from Can- ton has offered #300 for this tren- suro, Mr. Tong is quite willing to give it to the highest bidder and the entiro proceeds accrued therefrom are to be nlased at the disposal of the China Exhibition Committes for chavity.

It is anticipated that there will be lively biddings from a group pf Chinese and European collectors in the Colony

Mr.

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