A CLOSE CALL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 158, 23 March 1918, Page 8

A CLOSE CALL

CR AWLING' TP /ROUGH SMOKE AND-- HUE. The following 6tory is published in the Auckland "f'star""Frank Michins (? Mitcliin's on), for whom fears were cntertaiuci /, turned up safely in Raetihi last evrming. He had a. thrilling tale to tel I. He has a 1200-acre block by the ? (laingßeturoa River, towards Pipiriki* He lived in a threeroomed npar his woolshed and other buildirigs. He was awakened early on Tuesday morning by sparks coming und tr his door, and at once realised thnt all was hopeless, so lie made an attempt to save his life. He ran for the river, two hundred yards ■away, and eventually reached it by crawling tyii the ground through smoke and fire. He then jumped down thirty feet into the water, where he lay exhausted for a couple of hours. When sufficiently revived he swam and waded up half a mile, till he came to a tree •that had been blown into the river. He climbed up this to a clearing, and got into the scenic reserve, which the fire had already swept. He was then able to find a neighbour, Mr. M'Arthur, and got shelter there with nine bushmen and several families. Mr. M.'Arthur's house was saved' by strenuous efforts, though.its roof was blown clean out.