FOREST FIRES SWEEP ON
(N.Z.P.A.-
—Reuter
Tons Of Bombs At Airiield Exploded
. Copy right)
Received Friday, 11.5 a.m. • PARIS, Aug. 18. ' Betwen 7000 and 8000 tons of bombs dispersed round La Rochelle Airfield exploded today as the forest fire swept through 'the pine woods surrounding the airfield. The explosion could be heard 30 miles away and huge columns of smoke rose from the area. The po.ice ordered the evacuation of women and children from a radius . of six mi'es around the airfield and requisitioned all the available vehicles to get them away. I All the available troops and forest fire fighters in the region were summoned as a plane circled over the radio directing operations by radio. | Trains between Bordeaux and La Rochelle were stopped . ouLside ithe dange'r zone. The explosions were started when a box of explosives in the munitions dump attached to the airfield exploded in the heat. The forest fires^haye encircled the small town of Losse, in the Landes area of southwestern France. One thousand soldiers have arrived to attack the flames. Thirty-two wagon lQads of grain and forage were destroyed by the fires last night.
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Bibliographic details
Chronicle (Levin), 19 August 1949, Page 5
Word Count
189FOREST FIRES SWEEP ON Chronicle (Levin), 19 August 1949, Page 5
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