Fire_Brigade_1955-1956 — Page 10

Fire Brigade responded with 5 fire appliances, 3 ambulances and No. 2 Fire Boat. On arrival, it was found that the two upper floors of a tenement building were well alight with the flames breaking through the roof. Flames and smoke were belching out from windows at the front and rear of the building which was a 4-storeyed Chinese tenement with a Chinese restaurant on the ground floor. The fire had gained a firm hold on the two upper floors and although repeated attempts were made by the firemen to force an entry into the building, it was not possible for some time due to the extreme heat and the fact that the stair- case was filled with smoke. Fire jets were sited up the staircase to hold and confine the fire to the upper floors and the Fire Brigade was successful in

this operation. After approximately 30 minutes, the fire was brought under control and firemen entered the building and discovered 11 casualties, 5 males and 6 females, on the 3rd floor. They were quickly rescued and conveyed to Queen Mary Hospital. On arrival at the hospital, eight were certified dead. The building was an extremely old one and over 80 persons were presumed to have been living on the upper floors, which were divided into wooden cubicles. The whole of the internal structure of the building was of wood. There was only one wooden staircase and as this became smoke logged with the rapid spread of the fire, it was impossible for the tenants to escape.

This

Apart from the fires mentioned above, there were 25 other outbreaks of fires in squatter areas in the Colony.

2.

is less than in previous years. There was no aircraft crash fire during the year. The Brigade was called out to 18 fires on ships, none of which were serious.

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