1930-03-26 — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1930.

KENNEDY TOWN BLAZE,

QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY AND PRECAUTION;

EXPERT TO TESTIFY;

,' י

At the resumed enquiry by the Coroner (Mr. R. E. Lindsell) yes- terday into the circumstances attending the deaths of a Chinese woman and two children during a fire which broke out in a joss- paper shop at No. 12, Smithfield, Kennedy Town, and demolished the whole building, eye-witnesses spoke of seeing some of the victims throwing themselves frem the burning building, attention being attracted too late for the jumping sheet to be brought round In time by the firemen.

Police Sergeant Wynne atated that he arrived on the scene to find practically the whole of No. 12. Smithfield, in the grip of flames. After warning the in- mates of an adjoining house to move out, he walked through a acavenging lane round to the back and saw a body dropping into a yard from an upper floor of the burning building.

"I opened the door of the yard and saw a woman with her head badly injured lying on the ground, with a child near her. At the same time I heard a cry of "sava life" and looked upwards to see A small Chinese girl standing on the window and apparently ready to jump. Warning her not to do so, I rushed round to inform the firemen, and in the scavenging lane met Mr. Moss. While the jumping sheet was being sent for, I returned with Mr. Moss to the yard. We saw two more person lying on the ground in addition to the mother and child, one being a girl and the other a boy. The girl on the window was still there, but on my return some minutes later after taking the boy to the ambulance, she had disappeared. Instead, I found another body ly-i ing on the ground,"

before the sheet arrived, four minutes later, the girl had leaped from the window and injured her self on dropping into the yard..

Dangerous Type of Tenement, It took just above an hour to get the firo under. No. 12, Smith- fleld was one of a row of houses which were rebuilt after being burnt down by fire, once before, in 1922. They were not exactly tenements of the common native type, in that these were built in two parts, these being connected to gether on each floor by a narrow concrete bridge. The only means of ingress or egress was by a wooden staircase which was in the front part and ran down to the front of the shop. There was no back staircase of any kind.

THE EUROPA RIVALS HER

SISTER SHIP. '.

circumstantial evidence before us NEW RECORD ACROSS to make it clear that the deceased did in fact jump from that back

THE ATLANTIC, window, so that unless you are! particularly anxious to hear what the girl has said, I think we can take it as proved that the de ceased died through Jumping

New York, Mar, 25, Are you satisfied on that point?

The Foreman of the Jury: Wol The new German liner Europa

has beaten her sister ship the l are satisfied.

The Coroner: It now remains Bremen's, trans-Atlantic record.

Her time for croasing to New for you to consider whether you would like some representative of York was 4 days, 17 hours, 6 the Building Authority of this minutes.

She has thus duplicated the Colony to attend in Court to give evidence as to why this particular Bremen's achievement in winning type of structure which the Fire the blue_riband on her maiden Brigade have obviously consider-voyage.Reuter. ad most insufficient in facilities [The Bremen's time, which set for escape from fire, should be up a new record last year, was 4 allowed in this Colony.

days, 18 hours, 17 minutes.]

The Foreman:" It would be better to have somebody-here.

From the fire, point of view, witness considered the position of the staircase made it more dan-

The Coroner: I agree with you. discuss the case before making gerous in this type of tenement. I think it is highly desirable that such recommendations as they He could not say whether such someone from the Building Au-thought it desirable to bring be- type of houses were still being thority should attend the Court in fore the Court, depending al- built in the Colony, but he did order that he may take your though it might be, on the evi- know that a new type of buildings opinion on the matter. I think itdence of the Building Authority had come into existence with con-

A matter of very great danger that yet to be heard. That of course, crete staircase and doors which these structures should be allow-was a matter left entirely to their were a distinct improvement over ed when there is no staircase of discretion. such a type as that represented by any sort in the back part to the building concerned in the pre-facilitate escape in case of fire, I seat case.

adjourn the enquiry once more. think that one hour or more will bring you to the conclusion.

The Coroner: Do you know if that new type is a definite reform by the Building Authority?

Witness replied that he could not speak as to that, but be thought it all wrong that in such structures divided into two parts as No. 12, Smithfield was, there should be only one staircase, and a wooden one at that.

Fire Extinguishers.

The Foreman: I would like to ask if there are any regulations by the Fire Brigade for shops like No Evidence of Arson,

this particular, one, which used if I now give you some directions precautions as fire extinguishers I think I may save a little time wax and firecrackers to have such on certain points which you will for their own satisfaction? have to consider. As regards the On the question- being referred origin of the fire, you can take it to Mr. Moss, the latter replied in from me there is no possible negli-the negative. Mr. Mosa said he gence which could justify you in knew of noʻregulations other than Willy Saenger): Wasn't there any for the fire on any person. I in-ous Goods Ordinance.

The Foreman of the Jury (Mr. Buding any criminal responsibility those required under the Danger. fireman retained at the back of dicated at the beginning of the the house before you got there!

The Coroner looked up the Or hearing that in such fires, criminal dinance in question and quoting Witness explained that it was a responsibility may arise in certain the provisions therein, said: "Dan- long way round to the back, and it circumstances. In case of arson, gerous goods such as explosives, to get to work. Consequently sion of the crime, would be mur- certain chemicals are regulated as took sometime for the appliances death so caused through commis-spirits of wine, certain gases and there was no one else at the back der. It may also occur through such to their storage by the provisions of No. 12, by the time he arrived negligence that the persons guilty of Ordinance One. of 1873. The of that negligence might also be regulations made therein and guilty of manslaughter. Here also conditions of licence granted must direct you there is no evi-by the Inspector General of Police dence on the case of arson. The Injured Girl.

There apart from the article I have al is no evidence of such negligence ready enumerated, appear to This was all the evidence taken, in law which may justify you to be in control. Fire crackers of

bring a case of negligence. The Coroner, addressing the jury,

course would come within the de- said: You remember, gentlemen,

As regards the cause of death,finition of dangerous goods, but i that at the last sitting, I thought

I can assure you that the only think it clear that the manufac it desirable that the Chinese girl safe verdict would be one of ture of joss-papers and wax such who jumped down from that win- "Death by Misadventure." At the as in the shop concerned, are not dow and is now in Hospital re- same time that will not prevent within that Ordinance, and al- covering from her injuries, and you from making further recom- though they are dangerous from who made a statement to the mendations with regard to the many points of view especially Police that she saw the deceased structures after you have heard when a fire started, you will of woman fall, be called here to-day this fresh evidence from the course, realise the fact that they] to give evidence. I was notified Building Authority. At the same are not dangerous goods. by them- this morning that although it was time you may also consure the selves. I think it is clear that Mr. G. C. Moss, assistant en possible for her to be brought shopkeeper on the matter of the with regard to these particular gineer and station officer at the here, she would have to be brought chefty"

commodities, there is no regula- Central Fire Station, stated that in a stretcher, It seems to me The Coroner suggested that in tions requiring their storage or the call was received at 1.36 a.m. that perhaps it would be cruelty the interval before the next sit-precautions against fire."

The Coroner: How long did it take to get the jumping sheet?

Witness: I think it was five minutes.

The Coroner: Was it a long way round?

Witness: About 300 yards. The back door of No. 10 was lock- ed and it had to be broken.

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from the Sand Street fire-alarm, to bring her here in that conditing, the jury might find an op- The enquiry was adjourned un- 67, Des Voeux Rd. C. Tel. C.4821 that call arousing the Kennedy tion. There is clearly abundant portunity of meeting together to ti noon next Tuesday, Town Sub-Station which, in its turn, called up the Central Station, Within a minute, three appli- ances left the Central Station for the scene, followed four minutes

later by witness on another ap- pliance as the "home call" which indicated the serious nature of the outbreak, was received.

Five or six minutes later wit ness arrived at No. 12, Smithfield, to find one engine already at work and two others in process of con- necting up. It was necessary to pump water from the harbour as. fresh water had been turned off the mains. With the receipt of the call, however, a message had been sent to the Western Pumping Station and when water came through and full pressure was ob- tained it did not entail more than the usual delay experienced in) such cases. The mains would take at least a quarter of an hour to fill and it did not take more than that time to come through in the present instance. No further. delay was experienced with the connecting up of the engines to this source of supply.

Witness describing what hap- pened after being informed by Sergeant Wynne of the plight of the girl standing at the window, said the top part of the window. was already alight when he saw her. He gave the order for the jumping sheet to be brought round, but it was too late, for

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