BLUE MOUNTAINS FIRES

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28450, 3 December 1957, Page 15

BLUE MOUNTAINS FIRES

Flames Cut Through N.S.W. Town (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 2. A huge bushfire swept out of a valley this afternoon and burned through the Blue Mountains town of Leura, about 60 miles from Sydney. Men, women and children fled as a wall of flame cut through the town, burning 80 houses, shops, two churches, a school and other buildings. Late this afternoon the police had evacuated the entire population as homes and property continued to burn fiercely. No loss of life has yet been reported.

Elsewhere in the State, during a day described by the New South Wales chief secretary, Mr Christopher Kelly, as the “worst bushfire tragedy in our history,” more houses, buildings and stock were lost. At the tiny township of Eumina, 40 miles north of Sydney, tonight firefighters were battling a blaze which threatens to engulf it. The flames, racing at incredible speed, cut a fiery swathe through streets, homes, and shops of Leura. The residents fled in terror as the flames swept down on them. Panic-stricken mothers gathered up their children and ran from the town before the flames. The fire reached the main street of the town within minutes of breaking out of the Jamieson Valley early this afternoon. “Inferno” Earlier today, the postmaster at the nearby town of Katoomba. Mr F. Culhane, said: “Leura is an inferno. Shops are burning in the main street. Every available man is battling to save the town from total destruction.” Women broke down and wept as they cowered with their children outside the town watching flames and clouds of smoke billowing above their homes. At one stage of the mass flight from Leura, panic reached a new peak when fear-maddened horses galloped down the streets through the running women and children to disappear into the still unburned scrub.

Teachers bundled terrified children from the school at Leura as the fire swept up to it. Guest House Lost

Guest houses near the town have been evacuated. At one guest house, guests fled as the building caught fire. They lost most of their possessions as the building was reduced to ashes within 15 minutes.

Late this afternoon the fire was racing towards the Blue Mountains District Hospital. Nurses and doctors were standing by to evacuate patients at a moment’s notice. Flames have entered a cemetery at the rear of the hospital. A private hospital in another part of has been damaged by the fire. Late this afternoon an uncon firmed report said an elderly firefighter had died. More than 50 persons have received first-aid treatment for burns and shock at the Blue Mountains District Hospital.

Patients from another hospital at Leura have been evacuated. Highway Blocked

The Great Western Highway is blocked as flames sweep across it in dozens of places between Leura and Wentworth Falls. At Wentworth Falls four homes and a service station were burned, and at Woy Wov. near Eumina. a factory and two homes were razed.

At Fassifern. near Newcastle, one house was lost and fire roared to within 100 yards of a colliery magazine.

In Sydney, visibility was reduced to one and a half miles late today as smoke rolled in from the blazing inland. Toni cht. a red cross relief convov with thousands of blankets, clothing and food left from Sydney for Leura. Blankets and other comforts were also rushed to the town by other social service organisations

In Svdney tonight, the New South Wales Premier. Mr John Cahill, said that he was “shocked by the frightful tragedy at Leura” and promised all possible Government assistance