AWFUL BUSH FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8036, 26 January 1906, Page 3

AWFUL BUSH FIRES.

SWEEPING THKOUGH NORTH ' VICTORIA. SCHOOL CHILDKEN SUFFOCATED. AN HEROIC SCHOOL-TEACHEU. APPALLING DESTRUCTION. HUNDREDS HOMELESS. Melboikxf, January 25. A lire started at Toora, Gippsland, ou Tuesday night, to the west of the township. It swept round Hoddle Eange, devasting a stretch of timbered country, destroying many homesteads, and burnt a new Methodist Church, and the State School, i The flames, sweeping up the road overtook six children named Lonsdale,, their ages Tanning from three to 13' and suffocated them before their mothers eyes. The children were on their way from school and became blinded by the Mazing country and the smoke, and rushed towards the fire and fell. The mother managed to save a baby, whilst the eldest daughter, aged 17, was saved through getting into a creek. During the lire great courage ami resource were shown by the State school teacher, who placed 17 children under wet blankets and saved them, all standing amid the suffocating smoke and flames. He kept throwing water, over his charges. J

A bridge over the Agues RifcT caught fire and is still burning. / The flames leapt through the nW\-' age windows of the mid-day train to Melbourne. / Two more bodies have been fJund. those of two married men named jJR-ijfn and Crisp. —' Several families are missing. Hundreds are h6mcless betwec ffoslor and Welshpool. ■if to the destruction of ' Melcgraph lines it is difficult to eulars.

The fire swept the country -with appalling rapidity, and annihilated farm houses, outbuildings, stock, and crops, cutting off in many cases the avenue of escape for settlers. At Woorara West the corpse of an invalid named WiPiams was found lying in the centre offhe road.

Two settlers were attempting to carry a mail to a place of safety, when the tire came roaring down on tliem. Tliey struggled on, tkeir difficulties being added to by the struggles of the sick man. Tbcy made a desperate fight to sare his life, but the time came when they had to abandon him and fight for their own lives. They managed to reach safety. Nothing could stand the heat unprotected.

Animal* dropped and withered before the fiery blast.

Twenty men, women, and children crowded a four-roomed house at Berry. All were more or less scorched. The heat death roll at present is fourteen.

THE-'iaOST THURIBLE OF ALL f OUTBKEAKS. I|\PPALLTXG LOSS OF LIFE. ffHUILLING EXPEUIENCF.S. CATTLE DROPPING DEAD. Received 2li, I.Hi a.m. I Mi:i.l!oihm:, January 25 «01d resident.* in South Gippsland ho have had many experiences of bush res describe the present outbreak as le most terrible that they have ever Kiiessed. While not as wide-spread J the great one of 1898, or as destruc|e of property, it transcends all others i the appalling "loss of life, and in the wful swiftness with which it swept over the country. It rushed over the farms and clearings in an avalanche of tire, Hames shooting 150 feet iu the air. It licked up forests of giant trees, and dense scrub, like magic. It was only a providential change of wind that saved the township of Clemsou.

The President of a Shire Couucilhad a thrilling experience, ami it is typical of many others. He was working some distance from his houss wjicn he saw a wall of lire bearing down on him. He rushed home, but the flames had hold of the homestead almost before the inmates eould get out. Flight took refuge iu a galvanised tank, and with the aid of wet blankets managed to survive the fiery ordeal. jitock are dropping dead with the jntetnii' heat.