VICTORIAN TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 January 1939, Page 7

VICTORIAN TRAGEDY

LOSS OF LIFE IN BUSH FIRES

KNOWN DtAIH HOLL OF 30.

TWENTY-TWO STILL MISSING

By Telegraph—Pi-ess Association—Copyright. MELBOURNE. January 11.

Eighteen more people were burnt to death in the Victorian bush fires today, bringing the total death-roll since the fires started last weekend to 20.

When the full story is known the present bush fires are likely to be the worst that Victoria has ever known. With the death-roll already 20 and with 22 still missing, the grim search for more victims continues, as many people known to have been in the centre of the blazing area are still unaccpunted for.

The northerly wind which fanned the fires so fiercely yesterday continued throughout the- night, and when a change came searchers set out with the grimmest foreboding at what the quest would reveal.

The full extent of the tragedy was revealed today when a cool south wrswept the fires back from paths along which they raged yesterday. The bodies of 11 men were found in the devastated Rubicon forest, where four mills were wiped out Seven more, including a woman and child, were found at Acheron, where apparently they were trapped while seeking safety from the inferno after speeding along blazing bush tracks in their motor-cars.

Many stories of heroism are told of rescues while a mile-wide sheet of flame swept the Rubicon forest. Many owe their lives to the bravery of foresters and millmen who risked death in bringing parties of exhausted men, women and children to safety. No estimate of the extent of the property damage .is yet possible, as the fires are still too fierce for an examination of all the devastated areas. At Healesville 20 houses and three large guest houses were burnt. The village of Narbethong. 20 miles beyond Healesville, was completely wiped out. The change of wind saved Powelltown, a large, mill town, which was in grave danger last night. Altogether it is believed that 30 mills have been destroyed. Great damage was also clone to the Rubicon hydro-electric station of the State Electricity Commission.

Though the change of wind temporarily averted the danger in many places, latest reports indicate that it is whipping up fires in the opposite direction, where many new danger spots have been created. Hundreds of people are preparing for another night of terror.

The names of today’s victims are: Kenneth Kerslake, his wife and child, Frank Edwards, Chris Soldaris, Antonio Igoshus, Peter Igoshus, Baden Johnstone, Alfred Neason, Hedley John West, Len Sims, Jeff Wyatt, Jim Cain,' D. Angent, Joseph Pherry, P. Murdoch, A. Paine and P. Lebrun. IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA FIRES WORST IN HISTORY. FEARS FOR TWO MEN AND THREE WOMEN. Uy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. ADELAIDE. January 11. The worst forest and bush fires in South Australian history are ravaging the districts close to the metropolis, and it is feared that two men and three women perished at Macclesfield, 28 miles from Adelaide. Fires are burning over an area of 100 square miles. Four racehorses were burnt to death at Gurnaracha, where £5OOO worth of damage was caused.