The flames are thought to have started on the first floor, in a room occupied by the makers of ivory and imitation ivory mah jongg sets. Possibly an overheated charcoal stove caused a wooden partition to ignite, after which the room caught fire. At any rate, the flames spread rapidly to adjoining rooms and to the second floor. Later the roof was completely burned through.
The Fire Brigade dispatched a number of engines from the Central. Hongkew and Sinza Stations to the scene, and the fight against the flames lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes. Capt. H. G. Reed, Chief Officer, and Mr. W. Charters, Deputy Chief. directed the work which brought into action all the important resources of the Brigade. It was estimated that the fire raged out of control for the first 52 minutes.
Flames shot from windows and roof with spectacular vehemence, and masses of smoke quickly laid a pall over the immediate vicinity and hampered the work of the firemen as well traffic in Avenue Edward VII and Szechuen Road. A large detail of police from Central Station and Poste Mallet maintained the fire lines and directed the heavy morning traffic so as to facilitate the work of rescue and fire extinction. A party of British bluejackets from H.M. gunboats in the harbour were kept in readiness in Avenue Edward VII during the critical part of the con-flag ration.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.