Fire_Services_1963-1964 — Page 19

involved the loss of $66,000, and four people were very badly burnt. Property at risk exceeded $1 m.

Ship Fire-s.s. “New Teh Hu

53. Extremely difficult and prolonged fire fighting operations were involved when on the 7th December a fire broke out on a 31 thousand tons cargo vessel sailing under the Panamanian flag. The fire started in the boiler room and spread to adjacent holds. Installations in the boiler room were very old and badly maintained. At one period during the 36 hours operations it appeared that we were going to lose the vessel. The boilers and adjacent installations were so hot as to make impracticable the use of a wetting agent other than in minute quantities. At one stage it was necessary to order all personnel out of the engine room as a danger or explosion appeared imminent. The ship's crew and the majority of fire fighting personnel were transferred in a fire boat to safety whilst a small crew of Fire Service officers commenced the unpredictable operation of cooling down the engine room. The assistance of officers of the Marine Department at this fire was invaluable. Operations were ultimately successful and the ship saved.

Cadogan Street, Ground Floor, Hong Kong

54. An example of the dangers of plastic products was highlighted in the fire which broke out just after midnight on 19th December on the ground floor of an R.C.C. building at the above address. The fire was believed to have been caused by a naked light which thrown in an alley way ignited plastic materials stored there. The fire developed rapidly and spread into the ground floor of an adjacent building causing damage estimated at $70,000, trapping 13 people on the upper floors, who had to be rescued by Fire Service personnel.

Ho Pui Village, 84 M.S. Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan

55. One of the few fires involving fatalities broke out in a range of one and two storey brick and wooden structures at Ho Pui Village, New Territories in the afternoon of 21st December, 1963. The fire spread very rapidly under the influence of a strong 10 knot wind, and four children ranging from three months to five years old were trapped and killed by this fire. One fireman was severely injured. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained due to the severity of the damage, but all evidence pointed to either a kerosene stove or an oil lamp being knocked over by one of the children. It would appear that the fire started on a

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