Fire_Services_1963-1964 — Page 21

crushed stones. Excavation from above proved too difficult and dangerous, and it became necessary for a considerable part of the machinery below the hopper to be cut away with oxy-acetylene equipment before the body could be recovered some two hours after the accident occurred.

Kweilin Street, Kowloon

61. Late in the evening on the 27th June, 1963 a call was received to a house collapse at No. 20 Kweilin Street, Kowloon. On arrival the O/C found that the balconies of a 3-storey tenement building had collapsed trapping 11 persons in the debris and killing 3 others. The 11 persons rescued by Fire Service personnel were removed to hospital for treatment.

Queen Victoria Street, Hong Kong

62. The most dramatic event of the year arose when the collapse of an old 5 storey tenement building in Queen Victoria Street, Hong Kong on the morning of 25th October, 1963 buried some 25 people in the debris who were rescued by Fire Service personnel. Operations in respect of two rescues, namely, two young boys lasted for nearly 2 hours. For the whole of this time, a small crew of officers and men toiled under the constant threat of sliding debris; the collapse of a nearby building which had been condemned as unsafe and the presence of explosive gases, the source of which could not be found. This operation was an excep- tional example of technical skill and devotion to duty. It was arising from this exceptional incident that Her Majesty the Queen awarded Mr. E. L. HANLON, District Fire Officer the George Medal and his col- leagues the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry and Award for Brave Conduct.

67, Hill Road, Hong Kong,-10th November, 1963

63. This call was received at 14.53 hours and on arrival, the Officer Commanding found a Chinese male with his finger trapped in a water pipe underneath a toilet. It was not ascertained how he got himself into such a predicament, but after release he was sent to hospital complete with a portion of the pipe attached to his finger!

New Praya, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong

64. Appalling damage and injuries occurred at 12.30 p.m. on 24th November, 1963 when a box of toy caps were dropped on the ground when unloading a lorry. 68 persons were removed to hospital by Fire Service ambulances. 2 persons were 'blasted' to pieces, and 3 more blown into the sea and had to be rescued by Fire Service personnel.

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