Funeral with full honours set for Hong Kong fireman who died in Ngau Tau Kok blaze
Post learns ceremony to be scheduled for July 17 and open to the public
The Hong Kong government will hold an official funeral service next month with full honours for a firefighter who lost his life in the Ngau Tau Kok industrial building blaze, the Post has learned.
A government source said a committee had decided on details for the funeral honouring senior station officer Thomas Cheung, 30, who died in the blaze on Tuesday.
“We have consulted with his wife and confirmed that a vigil will be held on the evening of July 16, followed by a funeral with full honours the next morning,” the source said.
Hong Kong’s longest-burning fire in 20 years
The source said the customary mourning ceremony would be held at Universal Funeral Parlour in Hung Hom on July 17 and be open to the public.
Senior government officials including Director of Fire Services David Lai Man-hin were slated to lay wreaths during the mourning ceremony.
A hearse is scheduled to proceed from the parlour to Amoycan Industrial Centre in Ngau Tau Kok, the site of the blaze, to allow the public to pay their final tributes.
The funeral cortege is then to pass through the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy in Tseung Kwan O, where Cheung last served.
The cortege is to end at Gallant Garden at Wo Hop Shek Cemetery near Fanling in the New Territories for a burial service.
Cheung died on Tuesday after being found unconscious inside the burning industrial building.
He was leading a teammate when there was a sudden rise in temperature and smoke. The teammate managed to pull out and report the situation but lost contact with Cheung.
Cheung joined the department in October 2010 as a station officer and was promoted to senior status in October last year.
He had served at various locations including Tai Po Fire Station, Aberdeen Fire Station and Chung Hom Kok Fire Station.
He was posted to the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy in April.
Cheung is survived by his wife and their four-month-old son.
