The burning of a quantity of raw opium by a native was reeponsible for the destruction of more than 20 houses, the death of a neighbour, and the injury of several others early on October 4.
A Taoist opium-addict was burn. ing the raw opium in his house off Chiao Chia Road, Nantao, early on Saturday morning when me acjeidently dropped an ignited match Jon some firewood stored in the room, This immediately caught} alight and the flames quickly spread to the neighbouring houses.
The alarm was at once given, lout members of the Fire Brigade in the Chinese City mistook the jeall and sped to Mao Ka Lung, Jwhich is some distance from Chiao Chia Road, only to find that no fire had broken out there. Inquiries} were made and when it was learn-where the fire was the Brigade went to the scene but it was too ate, Nevertheless, the firemen worked feverishly for well over two hours! and finally succeeded in bringing] ithe blaze under control, but not before more than a score of houses were gutted, 'Tragic scones were witnessed for, Jduring the fire, a 40-year" old] Chinese, who was insane and who] was locked li' a wooden cage by this' relatives In a house of' far from the origin of the fire was. forgotten by members of his family} ud: burned to death:
'A woman and"her daughter were awakened and attempted to escape
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.