No cause of the fire could be as: certained yesterday, although it is Known that the conflagration started in a Chinese hut south of the Great Western Road Camp. It was believed that an overturned Chinese stove might have been responsible, but this could not be ssid for certain, At any rate, the re, starting tu the bamboo ut beyond the camp fence, spread. at lightning specd to the wooden huts, formerly used as barracks for the troops. The inflammable material of the structures and strong southerly wind impeded the work of the firemen, although they were able to stop the flames. from spreading on to other huts" in. the camp.
At the same time, several Chinese wood yards, foundries and factories, as well as some houses used as dwell: ings, on the other side of the South Wong Ka Loong. a narrow lane separating the camp from the coun try. went up in flames.
The firemen from the four stations worked frantically to keep the flames own. Pour machines, including one from the Chinese Brigade, worked from the corner of Edinburgh and Great Western Roads; another two wore stationed on. Great Western Road: and others on Avenue Haig. The Shanghai. Fire Brigade's most powerful pump was used, Long Fight 'The flames were actually placed under control at 448 am, and from then' on, firemen applied. themselves fo extinguishing the conflagration, 'This was more diMeult Job as more than twenty structures were affected, but was done by 7.05 a.m, although was not until about 10" am, that members of the watch duty' could return to their. stations The destroyed structures included ten huts. Churned to the ground to-ether with 120 school desks inside), the An''Su! Kee timber shop. five Awollings, Min Keo Brass foundry. Hah Shinyg Tron foundry, a rickshaw hong, Foh Shing Blacksmith shop, Sun Sun OM godown, and Yuen Fonst Weaving factory. A mushroom fac= tory, also. on the other side of the South Wong Ka Loong. was partly. destroyed.
'The flames were also respofisible for considerable damage to Sung Tso firewood shop, a large house, Dah Kong sik Mature, and 'Ting' Ying Weaving factory, where a quantity of silk thread was damaged
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.