A Terrible Fire.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 206, 1 March 1895, Page 2

A Terrible Fire.

THREE FATAL EXPLOSIONS. SHOCKING LOSS OF LIFE. r — i, (Per Mail Steamer at Auckland.) : Montaua was the scene of a frightful . holocaust on Monday night, January 15. A fire broke out in the Royal Milling Company's warehouse and spread to Kenyon and Carnell's warehouse, in which was stored several cart loads of giant powder. While the firemen were fighting the lire a terrific explosion occurred, and killed every fireman but those who were i some distance away. The firemen who • had escaped immediately rallied and were beginning another attack when a ' second explosion, more violent than the first, took place. • People in the vicinity were mowed down as with a great scythe, and the streets for half a block round looked like a great battle field. The debris was thrown high in the air, coming down half a mile away. Many people in the centre of the city were injured. A few of the remaining 1 firemen were gathering themselves to--1 gether, attempting to escape to a place 1 of safety, when a third explosion occur- ■ red. This also killed and injured many 1 people. Every member of the Fire Department is either killed or wounded. The scene was most terrifying, wagons taking dead bodies from explosion to various undertaking establishments, and wounded to their homes and hospitals. The full list of dead reached over 75, and the damage to proper ty more than ' 1,000,000 dollars.