圖說香江：消防車(1926年)

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　1916年，第一部消防車由英國運抵香港，逐漸取代人力操作的「水車」。當時的「水車館」(消防局)位於皇后大道中176號。1922年，消防局移往德輔道中與砵甸乍街間的「爹核行」，1926年，再移往新落成的「滅火局大廈」(現恒生銀行)。

　1920年代，當局添置多輛消防車。香港淪陷時有兩輛消防車被運往日本以保衛皇宮，戰後才運回香港。消防車於戰時漆成灰色，1947年還原為先前的鮮紅色。

Fire Engines, C.1926

　In 1916, the first fire engine "vehicle" arrived in Hong Kong from England. Later, fire vehicles replaced the water carts in fire-fighting. The "Water Cart House"(fire station) was located at No.176 Queen's Road Central. It moved to the David House of Des Voeux Road Central and Pottinger Street in 1922, and moved to a new fire station(Hang Seng Bank today)in 1926.

　Numerous fire engines arrived Hong Kong in 1920s. Two fire engines were being shipped to Tokyo to protect the Palace during the Japanese Occupation, they returned to Hong Kong after the Second World War. During the war, all fire engines had been painted grey. They were painted red again in 1947.　■鄭寶鴻 香港歷史博物館榮譽顧問