Five Japanese, a man, his wife and their three children were saved from almost certain death at about 4 a.m. yesterday when firemen of Hongkew Station managed to get them out from their rapidly burning house at 120 Quinsan Road. Spectators gasped and held their breath as only the screams Of the near-victims and the cracking of burning wood were heard. A jumping sheet was stretched out and a ladder placed against the wall of the building the ground-floor of which was already completely destroyed as was the staircase leading to the first floor.
Meanwhile, the unfortunate occupants of the house were told not to jump as they were being rescued. Firemen climbed the ladder and, a: considerable risk, managed to get all five persons to safety.
The fire originated downstairs in the Vu Ye Wine store, where several casks of wine had caught fire and, notwithstanding the seriousness of the blaze, the flames were brought under control in less than 40 minutes, the machines leaving the scene one hour later when all danger of re-ignition had been removed.
The firemen had hardly been back at their station an hour when they were summoned to a blaze which had broken out in House 4, Lane 105 Point Road. It took the brigade over an hour to quell the flames, the Causes of which are being investigated as the house in question, which was completely gutted, was unoccupied at the time. The firemen Prevented the spread of the flames to adjoining buildings.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.