Fire_Services_1965-1966 — Page 28

most successful function of its kind which the Fire Service Officers' Mess have run.

APPRECIATION

105. The operational elements of the Service inevitably attract public attention and publicity, but no service can run efficiently without its back room boys, namely, the General Clerical Service, the Executive Officers and the Stenographers, Typists, etc. All these elements of the Service have worked extremely hard during the year under review, and the Service in general and I in particular owe them a great debt of gratitude.

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106. The Service also must acknowledge with deep appreciation the assistance and co-operation it has received from the Government Building Surveyor, the Government Chemist, the Director of Informa- tion Services, the Commissioner of Labour, the Director of Marine, the Commissioner of Police, the St. John Ambulance Brigade, kaifongs and the Secretariat branches in general but especially the General, Estab- lishment and Finance sections.

FIRES OF PARTICULAR INTEREST

4th Alarm--39, Sheung Heung Road, Kowloon

107. 39, Sheung Heung Road is an 11 storey reinforced concrete building housing several factories, which forms part of a block of property approximately 100 ft. by 125 ft. and has access for fire fighting only on the frontage. When Fire Service units reached the scene shortly after 19.25 hours (i.e. time of call) on 2nd May, 1965 they found a severe fire on the 7th floor involving plastics; all floors above the 5th floor were densely smoke-logged, and numerous persons were reported to be missing.

108. Whilst fire fighting crews made an assault on the fire rescue teams wearing breathing apparatus searching the smoke-logged upper floors found 10 occupants in danger of asphyxiation whom they quickly conducted to the safety of the street.

109. So intense were the smoke concentrations at this fire that several officers and men were brought to the brink of collapse; one fireman did in fact collapse from smoke inhalation and was conveyed to hospital where happily he quickly recovered.

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