Fire_Services_1961-1962 — Page 10

First Street, Sha Tin, New Territories

19. At 10.45 p.m. on 8th June, 1961, a call was received from First Street, Sha Tin, where three single-storey buildings, used as restaurants were found to be on fire. As the local unit was inadequate, reinforce- ments were called but took some twenty minutes to arrive. This delay, albeit unavoidable, drew some criticism of the Service.

20. Within 45 minutes, the fire was under control but an estimated $100,000 worth of damage had been caused by fire and water.

21. A departmental inquiry into the operation demonstrated that the local unit, comprising a landrover and five men, did all that was possible in the circumstances and that reinforcements from Kowloon had arrived with minimum delay. It was considered that some confusion and delay had been caused by the crowd's pulling at a charged length of hose and breaking a standpipe which meant the transfer of hose to an undamaged hydrant situated 130 yards from the fire.

Tong Shui Road Ferry Pier, North Point

22. On the night of 10th July, 1961, following a report of a Chinese having jumped into the sea, Fire Service divers searched unsuccessfully with under-water lights among the ferry pilings at Tong Shui Road. One diver was taken from the water suffering from exposure and condi- tions generally became too dangerous for the search to continue.

Yuen Long

23. On 2nd July, 1961, Fire Service personnel rescued by dinghy an adult and four children who had been trapped at night by rising flood waters in the cockloft of their hut at Tui Ki Lung, Yuen Long.

Yee Kuk Street, Kowloon

24. In the afternoon of 3rd August, 1961, Fire Service personnel were called to No. 147, Yee Kuk Street, Kowloon, where a large block of reinforced concrete was hanging loose over the crowded street. Using lines and acetylene cutting equipment, the block was freed and lowered to the ground.

Muk Min Ha, Tsuen Wan

25. On 10th September, 1961, an officer who responded to a call for help in Muk Min Ha found six people buried in huts beneath thirty tons of earth. Doctors and labourers were immediately summoned but, when reached, two of the six were dead and the others injured.

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