Fire Heroes Set for Fitting Final Journey in HK

Source: The Standard

Firefighters marched to the slow and solemn beat of a drummer yesterday as they rehearsed the final journey of two of their colleagues who perished in the Cornwall Court fire on August 10.
Accompanied by a fleet of fire engines and police vehicles, they sought to make sure everything goes to plan at separate funerals which will be held early next month.

Ceremonies for firefighting heroes Siu Wing-fong and Chan Siu-lung will be held on September 5 and September 11, respectively, at the Universal Funeral Parlour in Hung Hom.

Both men will be laid to rest at Gallant Garden in Wo Hop Shek, which was established in November 1996 for civil servants who die in the line of duty.

The rehearsal began at 10.50am with a hearse from the funeral parlor driving slowly from Hung Hom to the fire scene at Cornwall Court, Mong Kok. The hearse was escorted by about 20 fire engines and police motorcycles and cars.

An out-of-service fire engine was used to carry a draped coffin. It drove to Mong Kok fire station where the two heroes were stationed.

Firemen from different stations lined both sides of the "hearse" and saluted before it continued on to Gallant Garden.

Nathan Road northbound was closed for the ceremony and was reopened 10 minutes later. Bus stops were also temporarily closed.

Mong Kok police chief inspector Michael Yip Siu- ming said the route for the real ceremonies will follow the one rehearsed yesterday.

For the September 5 ceremony, the funeral cortege will arrive at Cornwall Court at 10.40am and stop for around 10 to 20 minutes for an on-site commemoration.

It will then go to Mong Kok fire station. At around 11am, the hearse will head toward Gallant Garden.

Yip said people who want to attend should arrive by 10.20am.

(By Beatrice Siu)

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Editor: Chen Minjie