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Raymond Yeung

The city’s firefighters assembled in their hundreds on Monday afternoon to pay their last respects to a colleague who lost his life while battling one of Hong Kong’s longest-burning building fires.
Standing in their uniforms in the sweltering heat outside the Amoycan Industrial Centre, they mourned senior station officer Thomas Cheung, 30, one of the two firefighters killed in the 108-hour inferno.
It was a sombre ceremony, many bowing their heads in grief and remembrance.
About 10 of Cheung’s family members were brought to the site by government vehicles just ­before 3pm. The ceremony began with a short speech from one of the fallen fireman’s colleagues.
“He was brave and fearless, a role model among us,” the fireman said before calling for a minute’s silence.
Funeral with full honours set for Hong Kong fireman who died in Ngau Tau Kok blaze
Cheung’s widow led the crowd in laying flowers in front of a placard which read: “Forever remembering Senior Station Officer Thomas Cheung.”
She then entered the building, which became accessible after the fire was finally put out over the weekend, and was seen reaching the fifth floor. Her husband was found unconscious on the third floor last Tuesday night.
More than 200 officers from the Fire Services Department, including director David Lai Man-hin, took turns to bow before a long table covered with white linen placed outside the building.
Some became emotional and openly wept during the half-hour ceremony, which was limited to firefighters, selected family members and friends.
Public invited to funeral for second Hong Kong firefighter to die in Ngau Tau Kok blaze
More than 100 members of the public watched from a nearby footbridge or behind a cordon. The Post spoke to one of them, a woman from Hong Kong Island came to lay a bouquet she had brought along. Police officers collected her flowers and those from many others.
Standing out among the crowd of mostly middle-aged or elderly onlookers was a young man in a suit. He said he had taken time off from work to pay his respects to Cheung, as they had played basketball together on their school team. He described Cheung as a very kind friend who knew how to take care of others.
What sparked deadly blaze? Probe begins as Ngau Tau Kok fire rages more than 100 hours after igniting
“We didn’t meet often after graduation. I hadn’t met him for basketball recently, and there’s no more chance now,” he said, bursting into tears.
A member of the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy in Tseung Kwan O, Cheung was on the first breathing apparatus team to enter the fire scene last Tuesday. He was out of contact for 50 minutes before he was found.
A similar ritual at the scene will be held today for Samuel Hui Chi-kit, a senior fireman who became the second fatality two days after Cheung.


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Ngau Tau Kok fire

A day of remembrance and tribute for Hong Kong firefighter killed in blaze

Family members, friends and firemen gather at the Ngau Tau Kok industrial building to pay their final respects to fireman Thomas Cheung, who died last Tuesday. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Funeral with full honours set for Hong Kong fireman who died in Ngau Tau Kok blaze

Thomas Cheung (second from left) is survived by his wife and their four-month-old child. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Mini-storage fire at Hong Kong industrial building prompts debate on declaring stored goods

Firemen pick up their equipment after 5 days of 4th alarm fire in Ngau Tau Kok industrial building continues. Photo: Sam Tsang

Compressed gases and dangerous goods found in Hong Kong building where inferno killed two firemen

Firemen battled heavy smoke and flames as they broke open each storage cubicle inside the building. Photo: Sam Tsang

Update file picture of Kevin Shee.

Firemen at Ngau Tau Kok blaze afterextinguished after burning for more than 108 hours. SCMP/Sam Tsang

Photos of ‘unimaginable’ Hong Kong fire released for first time

Photos taken by firefighters inside the industrial building in Ngau Tau Kok. Photos: SCMP Pictures

The interior of the fourth-alarm blaze in Ngau Tau Kok industrial building. SCMP Pictures (Handout)

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Thomas Cheung, 30, gave his life battling fourth-alarm fire at Amoycan Industrial Centre last week


A day of remembrance and tribute for Hong Kong firefighter killed in blaze

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Thomas Cheung, 30, gave his life battling fourth-alarm fire at Amoycan Industrial Centre last week

Thomas Cheung, 30, gave his life battling fourth-alarm fire at Amoycan Industrial Centre last week