DRUNKEN FISH IN RIVER

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21975, 26 December 1936, Page 4

DRUNKEN FISH IN RIVER

* AFTERMATH OF DISTILLERY FIRE AT BUNDABERG BRISBANE, December 10. When the Bundaberg distillery was destroyed by fire 500,000 gallons of blazing rum and 150,000 gallons of burning methylated spirit and white spirit ran down the gutters surrounding the distillery, and cascaded into Burnett river, where it floated on the surface burning fiercely.

The river water became heavily impregnated with the spirit, and fish nearby became intoxicated. On the day after the fire there were hundreds of boats on the river as eager fishermen secured big catches by the simple expedient of lifting the intoxicated fish out of the river by the tail. So numerous were the fish that the anglers took only the biggest. King fish and barramundi weighing up to 201b were secured in great numbers, and several sharks were seen floating about intoxicated, though none of the local fishermen was prepared to take the risk of trying to lift them out by the tail. The rum proved too much for many of the fish, and hundreds of them were to be seen floating dead in the river.