GREAT FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1921, Page 5

GREAT FIRE.

HUGE LOSS IN TOKIO. TWO THOUSAND PLACES BURNED. FIRE STILL RAGING. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 7, 10.5 p.m. Tokio, April 6. A fire in the Asakusa section, the most thickly populated district of the capital, destroyed tyvo thousand houses and stores. The conflagration, assisted by a high wind, continues in the Asakusa Park district. The famous Kwannon Temple is threatened with destruction.—Reuter Service. This is the second disastrous fire in Tokio within a fortnight. A cable from Tokio dated March 28 reported: A fire imperilling the whole city destroyed a thousand houses in the Yotsuya ward, in the north-west section of Tokio, involving a loss estimated at 25 to 50 million yen ( £2,500,000 to £5,000,000). Thousands of persons are homeless, and 150 were injured. Three hospitals, a bank and other large commercial establishments were destroyed. A high wind blew the flames toward the centre of the city, causing almost a ’panic among the population. Five thousand troops, besides firemen, combated the blaze, 1 but it was only when the wind ceased after four hours that the fire was controlled. The streets were choked with fleeing refugees carrying their possessions in carts loaded with furniture, while the confusion was increased by spectators crowding in. Mounted police had the greatest difficulty in putting down incipient riots. The fire burned so fiercely that the glow in the heavens could be seen for hundreds of miles.