Neighborhood has a dark and devastating history

The Jordan neighborhood in which a deadly morning fire raged yesterday has a tragic history.

New Lucky House is kitty-corner with Garley Building, a commercial building on Nathan Road and which was the site of a devastating fire that claimed 41 lives some 28 years ago.

The November 1996 blaze is still remembered as one of the worst building fires in Hong Kong's history.

During internal renovations in the Garley Building, which included the installation of new elevators, welding activities were taking place.

Unfortunately, the removal of fire-resistant outer elevator doors and the routine triggering of fire alarms by the welding work led people to dismiss the alarms.

In addition, the presence of bamboo scaffolding outside quickly fueled the fire.

When firefighters arrived at the scene around 5 pm, they immediately recognized the severity of the situation and raised the alarm level to No 3.

Within 15 minutes, it was further escalated to No 4, and eventually reached the highest level, No 5, at 7.15pm that day.

Deadly fires in old buildings have continued to occur in Hong Kong. On March 30 last year, a fire broke out in a flat at Tai Po's Tung Sau Square due to a short circuit.

The male owner of the flat instructed his girlfriend to escape while he attempted to extinguish the fire himself.

Unfortunately, he sustained injuries and became trapped in the bathroom, where he ultimately succumbed.

Another devastating fire occurred on November 15, 2020, in an unlicensed Nepali restaurant located in an old building on Canton Road in Yau Ma Tei.

The blaze claimed the lives of eight Nepalese. Authorities said there was a gathering in the restaurant when the fire broke out.

These incidents serve as tragic reminders of the importance of fire safety and the need for regular inspections and maintenance in older buildings, as well as the critical role of fire alarm systems in mitigating damage and saving lives, authorities said.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com