VOLCANO OF FLAME

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 576, 31 January 1929, Page 9

VOLCANO OF FLAME

COLLIERY ON FIRE SCORCHING HEAT IN N.S.W. (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Received 11.22 a.m. NEWCASTLE, To-day. A fierce fire is raging at the Northumberland colliery at Fassifern. Damage estimated at £IO,OOO has been done already and the position is becoming more serious every hour. The ventilating shaft and fittings above the ground have been destroyed. Over 100 tons of coal is ablaze, and it is feared that blazing wood falling down the shafts will ignite the coal seams. With a recurrence of the hot weather, bush fires are raging from Gosford up to the North Coast. Much damage has *been done. Two houses were destroyed at Belmont and five at Tarcoma, where the residents fought all day to preserve their homes.

These fires are responsible for the terrific heat throughout the Northern district, and at least one death has resulted. Thomas Cook, aged 19, collapsed and died at Kearsley. Bush fires threaten to destroy the Gosford racecourse. Fierce heat was experienced yesterday throughout New South Wales. The maximum temperature in Sydney at 1 p.m. was 100 degrees. It was appreciably hotter inland, where everything is dried up. Vegetables are very scarce. Farmers and pastoralists are becoming- alarmed owing to the shortage of fodder and water.