Menu

Wan Chai Fire Station


435 Hennessy Road

Wan Chai Fire Station is the oldest fire station still standing in Hong Kong. Its maroon facade and retro-style balconies distinguish it from other fire stations in the city, which have followed a standard design since 1958. In 1966, Hong Kong experienced a drought so severe that the Water Authority put a ban in place, during which fire stations had to share their water supply with the general public and would only receive water every four days until the drought ended.

Wan Chai Fire Station stands next to the Canal Road flyover on Hennessy Road. Evelyn Phoa would pass by the Wan Chai Fire Station every day on her way to school. “I couldn’t help but wonder what was happening behind those doors,” she says. The four-storey building houses offices, a canteen, dormitory for on-duty firemen, a recreation room, kitchen and bathroom, married quarters and more.

More Stories

Causeway Bay: Then & Now


Feature

Causeway Bay embodies the many facets of Hong Kong – the fast pace, fascinating contrasts and dynamic energy. From the city’s very beginning to the present day, its diversity and vibrancy makes it a beloved neighbourhood.

  • Hong Kong Street Snack Stalls


    Hong Kong street snack stalls are peppered throughout the city’s densest districts, serving office workers, hungry shoppers, teenagers and tourists. Each stall has its own specialty. In Causeway Bay, many of them are busy all day ladling out their signature siu mai and curry fishballs…

    Streetsnaps
  • Irene Lee


    Chairman of Hysan Development

    There are very few people who know the origin of a suburb, let alone one as integral to Hong Kong as Causeway Bay. But for Irene Lee, granddaughter of Lee Hysan and current chairman of Hysan Development, she can look back on the neighbourhood’s inception…

    Interviews
  • Jimmy Leung


    Martial artist and Founder, THE FIGHTERS CLUB

    If it were up to Jimmy Leung, he’d have begun his martial arts training when he was a little kid. But the biggest adversary to his plan wasn’t some opponent in the ring…

    Interviews
  • Harold Poon


    Product designer

    “Causeway Bay is where I met my wife, so I guess it’s a special place for me. I also love it because it’s got loads of character. There are all these small local shops…

    Streetsnaps
  • Lindsey McAlister


    Founder, Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (YAF)

    If there is such a thing as kismet, Lindsey McAlister believes it’s what brought her to Hong Kong. Nearly 30 years ago, the young British arts worker…

    Interviews
  • Anita & Miga


    Social media strategist & make-up artist

    Anita (right): “I moved to Hong Kong when I married my husband, who is Australian Chinese. Miga and I grew up in Taiwan. She’s my cousin and also my best friend…

    Streetsnaps
  • Chien Lee


    Chairman of Bei Shan Tang Foundation

    For Chien Lee, Chairman of the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, a passion and support for Chinese culture and the arts has always been in his blood. Grandson of Lee Hysan and son of Dr. Jung Sen Lee…

    Interviews
  • Noonday Gun


    A beloved tradition

    A loud ‘bang’ echoes from the Causeway Bay waterfront at precisely 12pm every day. It’s the Noonday Gun, a three-pound artillery gun…

    Streetsnaps

Celebrating Causeway Bay


Feature

A neighbourhood in flux, Causeway Bay’s constant evolution keeps residents and visitors coming back for more. Whether it’s fashion, food, film or art, it’s a part of Hong Kong that keeps people mesmerised and inspired.

Causeway Bay: Then & Now


Feature

Causeway Bay embodies the many facets of Hong Kong – the fast pace, fascinating contrasts and dynamic energy. From the city’s very beginning to the present day, its diversity and vibrancy makes it a beloved neighbourhood.

  • Lindsey McAlister


    Founder, Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (YAF)

    If there is such a thing as kismet, Lindsey McAlister believes it’s what brought her to Hong Kong. Nearly 30 years ago, the young British arts worker…

    Interviews
  • Anita & Miga


    Social media strategist & make-up artist

    Anita (right): “I moved to Hong Kong when I married my husband, who is Australian Chinese. Miga and I grew up in Taiwan. She’s my cousin and also my best friend…

    Streetsnaps
  • Chien Lee


    Chairman of Bei Shan Tang Foundation

    For Chien Lee, Chairman of the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, a passion and support for Chinese culture and the arts has always been in his blood. Grandson of Lee Hysan and son of Dr. Jung Sen Lee…

    Interviews
  • Noonday Gun


    A beloved tradition

    A loud ‘bang’ echoes from the Causeway Bay waterfront at precisely 12pm every day. It’s the Noonday Gun, a three-pound artillery gun…

    Streetsnaps