In chapter 112 of the Hong Kong Circle I have one of my characters, who was an Inspector with the Hong Kong Police, assisting some of the people affected by a large fire in a squatter area.

After the Second World War, hundreds of thousands of migrants from China fled to Hong Kong.

Due to the lack of housing most of these migrants lived illegally in wooden shanties in hillside ghettos.

Poor facilities, insanitary conditions, and the high density of huts represented a serious safety hazard.

On 24 December 1953, the squatter area at Shek Kip Mei caught fire.

The blaze lasted for six hours and was put under control on 25 December, at around 2:30 am.

It left an estimated 53,000 people without shelter.

I actually had this happening in 1949. Artistic License I believe it’s called.

A film of the aftermath can be found in one of Michael Rogge’s excellent you-tube links.

Also some photos are available on a Hong Kong Government web site.