TRAPPED IN FLAMES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 142, 8 February 1932, Page 5

TRAPPED IN FLAMES

-By TelegrPph-

SIX DEATHS WHEN LARGE SAWMILL IS SWEPT OUTBgEAK IN WICTORIA

Press Assn.-

r-^ pynght).

MELBOURNE, Saturday. Ten people lost their Iives, at jieast three others were critically hurned, and many.^jiffered minor Kums in bush fires which sv/ept through the Pov/elltown and Noojee districts. Tlie fellowing six were bui'ned tq 'eatli when O'Shea's Mill, one of the 'argest in Victorik, was Sivept by fire: James "Vague^ John O'Shea (3fe), Wilfred Richards, John Schultz, Fdward Miller (25), James Maloney (33). , " O'Shea was the owner of the mill, rn!d the others were mill workers. George Alfred Cook" (62) and his son Ronald Cook (14), lost their 1 1'ves when trapped in the blazing rass near Warragul. , * John Knopp (62) and his son are Iso reported to have perished. They ere on a burn break when the-y were apped by a msss of 'fiames due to 'ib wind changmg suddenly. Anoier son, Walte'r, was seve'rly hurned. Tbeire were ten persoris in O'Shea's T;ll when the fire' swept down on lom. Tho flames werb •' so iritense iat volunteers wei'e tinable to ap- *• roach the party, who made a dash ror the river nearby in pairs. Mrs. O'Shea ancl another lriill work•r esfcaped, but the six were trabped ' y fires approachirig from' kriother lart 'v. Their charred bodies were "ound later. '• Two others are in a c; itical, condition. Twenty-five men, women arjd bh'1ren were trapned at Freeman B^oMrs' Mill at I,6ngwarvv, bnt we-'e •escued after a great' fight with the •lmea. Anx'ety is felt for tKe safety of 20 esidents of the small sawmilling rwnshlp oi Fumina. Commtmica- ' 'bn between "Fumina ancl the surounding towns is cut off. Rain saved the towris of Walhalla rid Warhurton. In ( b'otli places the j«idents had paeked their vaktables nd were ready for flight.