air-conditioner) which set fire to the combustible lining of a false ceiling. The fire spread laterally across the whole of the 1st floor and thence through the air-conditioning ducts to the basement and upper floors. All staircases had been rendered smokelogged due to alterations which have been carried out. On arrival of the first attendance, the lower five floors of the building had been flooded with smoke, and the call was raised to 4th alarm. Even with the use of breathing apparatus, members of the Service were unable to remain in the basement, which ultimately had to be flooded, whilst the fire on the 1st and 2nd floors was dealt with in the normal way. Damage by water was very heavy and account- ed for the major proportion of the estimated loss of $1,460,000. The value of property at risk was $8,000,000. This fire is of particular interest in that the design of the building and the egress and access thereto were perfectly satisfactory and would have enabled all occupants to proceed to safety before the arrival of the Fire Service had the fire division walls not been breached by air-conditioning ducts.
Queen's Road East, Hong Kong
90. 28 persons were rescued by jumping sheets and ladders when a fire broke out in the ground floor cockloft of an 8-storey R.C.C. tene- ment building, the lower floors of which were used as a plastic garment factory. Dense toxic smoke prevented the use of the normal exit leading from this building. Property was insured for $90,000 and the damage limited to $12,000. The cause of the fire was believed to be defective electrical equipment used in the illegal garment factory situated in the cockloft.
Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon
91. $90,000 worth of damage was incurred in a fire which broke out in an R.C.C. building in Wong Tai Sin during Chinese New Year's celebrations, and all evidence from investigating officers pointed to the discharge of fireworks by children being the cause.
Wang Tau Hom, Kowloon
92. An estimated loss of $100,000 was incurred when the careless discharge of fireworks ignited a number of temporary structures used as contractors' huts on a site in Kowloon. Amongst the major items destroyed was living accommodation for workers, timber storage, a lorry, motor cycle, air compressor plants and office equipment. 2 persons sustained injuries.
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