AMERICAN WELLS ABLAZE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 10 April 1926, Page 9

AMERICAN WELLS ABLAZE.

Lake Of Burning Oil.

MILLIONS OF DOLLAR LOSSES. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received April 9, 7.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, April 8. A Los Angeles telegram states that two 750-barrel reservoirs in the area of Lhc Union Oil Company, whose tanks at San’ Luis Obispo were still ablaze late on Thursday were struck by lightning on the scene of the second gigantic conflagration. At San Luis Obispo, there is a spreading lake of fire now half a mile square.

The loss on these two fields is over 13,000,000 dollars.

GREATEST OIL FIRE IN HISTORY. WIDE AREA ABLAZE. Australian and N.Z. Cabin AanoclaMon. By Cablo—Press Association—Copyright. VANCOUVER, April 8. The fire continues at San Luis Obispe. It i,s described as the greatest oil fire in history. Terrific explosions ar© occurring, and the flames are reaching 400 feet in the air. Eighty tanks Containing nearly 1,000,000 gallons of oil each, are now burning. An area of 25 miles in diameter is oil soaked. Farms, villages and country homes aro ruined. The fire attracted - visitors from all parts of California. The adjoining town of Aina has been abandoned because it was spoiled by oil-soaked cinders Five tanker steamers are rushing to San Luis hoping to be able to _ pump some of tho remaining millions of barrels from the underground pools, otherwise the fire will spread," and all these will explode or burn. ADJACENT TOWN ON FIRE. LOSS INCREASES ENOJRMOUSLY. •

Australian and N.Z. Cablo Asjoclat'.o*. Reuter's Telegrams. (Received April 10, 1.20 a.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, April S. Brea, a town a short distance from San Luis Bispo, is now on fire, after two Union Company tanks there exploded. -The explosions added a million sterling loss to the previous total.