Hong Kong Daily Press 1930-07-26
King's College on Bonham Road was struck by lightning a few minutes before 9 a.m. yesterday, causing significant damage to its north wing. The buildings are in close proximity to the University, where a cupola was reportedly struck by lightning some years ago.
On the top floor, where the laboratories are located with the chemistry room at the farther end, the lightning struck the ridge of the roof. This impact smashed tiles and woodwork over an area of about ten square feet. The force must have been terrific, as the main beam supporting the roof was split open, and ceiling boards underneath gave way as debris commenced to fall into the room. Damage to laboratory fittings was minimal, amounting to only a couple of broken bottles.
A Daily Press representative was shown around the buildings by Mr. Morris, the headmaster, who remarked that it was extremely fortunate the incident occurred during the holidays. Otherwise, the laboratory would have been occupied by a class receiving instruction in chemistry. Mr. Morris stated he was in his office at the time and only became aware of the incident when an attendant immediately brought it to his notice. The attendant had a remarkable escape, as he was in an adjoining room on the same floor. He entered the chemistry room to investigate the cause of the noise, discovering a hole in the roof and bits of tiles and masonry strewn about the floor.
The lightning left behind some strange features of its work in other parts of the building. On the wall inside the laboratory room, where the doors and windows had been closed and remained so after the mishap, a porcelain electric fan switch was found burned out. A foot or so higher up, the lead wire had opened out and left a burnt mark on the wall.
Our representative noticed another curious electrical effect upon opening the door and following Mr. Morris to the lower floor. Underneath the ground floor of the laboratory rooms, there is a suspended electric lamp over the stairs. The porcelain shade appeared to have been smashed to bits, with a small piece still held in place, yet curiously, the bulb remained undamaged. A portion of the lead wire leading to the lamp also appeared to have been disturbed and was hanging loosely.
Returning to the laboratory floor and passing through the room where the attendant had been cleaning, further mysteries were revealed. Halfway between this floor and the lower one, a porcelain lightning arrester is fixed on the wall alongside the window. The brass cover of this contrivance was blown out of its place and was lying some distance away.
Officers of the Public Works Department subsequently visited the buildings, taking stock of the damage and testing the electrical system. Meanwhile, a gang began repairing the roof, a task likely to occupy them for a couple of days. The damage to the main beam appears to be the most serious aspect of the mishap.
China Mail 1930-07-26
China Mail 1930-07-26
After the storm, a section of the verandah of the Tung Ah Boarding House, at 144 Connaught Road, Central, collapsed a little after 5 o'clock last night. The two topmost sections were affected, and a preliminary rain of bricks gave ample notice to neighbours of what was to come. The tram service was held up for a time, whilst the Fire Brigade cleared away the debris.
The incident very naturally attracted a large crowd of onlookers, who watched the Fire Brigade work with the utmost good humour. Fortunately, there were no injuries to report, as all the verandahs, by an odd circumstance, were unoccupied at the time of the collapse.
Lightning also caused considerable damage to the north wing of King's College (Bonham Road) early yesterday morning. The roof ridge was struck, with the result that tiles and woodwork were smashed, and the main supporting beam was split. A good deal of debris fell into the laboratory underneath, without doing much damage.
The students are at present away on holiday, and the first notice of the incident was brought to the notice of the headmaster by an attendant in a room on the same floor as the laboratory. P.W.D. officials subsequently visited the College and tested the electrical system. The damage is expected to be remedied in the course of a few days.