More Bodies Found In Ruins After Fire

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29724, 18 January 1962, Page 13

More Bodies Found In Ruins After Fire

(N.Z. Preu Aisn —Copyright) MELBOURNE, January 17. The death roll in the bush fires which ravaged the Dandenong Ranges, 25 miles from Melbourne, today reached eight. Four more bodies were found in the ruins left by the giant blaze that destroyed more than 200 houses and left hundreds of people homeless.

Two of the latest victims were neighbours whose bodies were found in water tanks where they apparently took refuge from the flames that burned the township of Warrandyte to the ground.

Another of the dead was a young firefighter, and the fourth was an elderly man who was apparently overcome by smoke. The four earlier victims were all members of one family who were trapped on the road near Moori Yallock when their car struck a tree.

Army units and the Victorian police force today moved swiftly to halt an outbreak of looting in the disaster area. They moved in motor-cycle units with radio equipment to report any signs of looting in firedamaged buildings. Police also received reports of thefts of money and of plants from a mountain nursery.

Search parties are scouring the Dandenong forests for people believed to be missing in the fires. They say elderly people particularly may have been trapped. Eight fire-fighters were admitted to Box Hill District Hospital during the night. Some have head and ohest injuries. Some have heat exhaustion and one was poisoned. He drank water from a knapsack pump which had been used for agricultural spraying. Police have not estimated yet how many homes have been destroyed, but early counts put the figure at 200 ait least. About 76 of these were at Warrandyte. The Acting Premier (Mr A. G. Rytah) called an emergency meeting of State Cabinet today to advise ministers of the latest fire position. He said later that he made it clear that the position was

by no means free of danger, and the continued co-opera-tion of ail Govemni«vt departments was necessary to meet any new tareatß. The Lord Mayor of Melbourne opened a public appeal today for funds for bush fire victims.

Rain falling steadily in the disaster areas east and north-east of Melbourne early today checked the fires and saved the town of Monbulk from destruction. It has brought the raging fires at Olinda and Fern Tree Gully under control. The victims of the Woori Yallock tragedy were Mr Leslie Ockwell, aged 63, of Woori Yallock, his wife, Mrs Linda Ockwell, aged 60, and their grandsons. Ronald Ockwell, 14, and Geoffrey Ockwell, 10. of South Blackbum. The two boys had baen spending the holidays with their grandparents. Mr Ockwell was a hero of the tragic “Black Friday” fires in 1939, when he led 37 fighters through the flames to safety. Several fire-besieged towns in the Dandenong* were evacuated last night, and at Hurstbridge. 23 miles to the north, hundreds of people had to flee from their homes. Fire raced into Mitcham, only 13 miles from the heart of Melbourne, last night. It was stopped after sweeping through the districts of Park Orchards and Donvale.

Miraculously, only two houses were destroyed at Donvale and one at Mitcham.

The fire ravaged hundreds of acres near Woori Yallock and destroyed at least 12 homes.

At St Andrews, 300 firefighters were trapped for two hours as a 30ft wall of flame ringed the township. They were saved by a change of wind.

About 32 homes in St. Andrews district were destroyed. Only the hall, the school and the store were left standing.

Hundreds of families are returning to their homes today, but firefighters fear that the rain will bring only temporary relief. Reporters who flew over the fires yesterday said that dense smoke cast darkness over miles of mountains and valleys in the Dandenong; and the Great Divide. Healesville was completely ringed and flames were licking within 100 yards of homes. Melbourne was hidden in a dense, muddy, orange haze. The smoke blotted out ths sun over most areas in the Dandenongs and where it could be seen, it appeared as an eerie, haloed orange. Two houses in Warrandyte’s main street were among at least 40 destroyed in the area before the town was saved yesterday Jumped Into River

Scores of people jumped into the Yarra river when the fire leapt on the town. Many women and children who sought refuge in the Yarra were ordered away by firefighters who feared they would be suffocated.

Five people stood neckdeep in a rainwater tank while flames roared around them but left their holiday house standing at St. Andrews. The five sang as they waited until ths flames passed.

An incredible, last-minute change in wind saved the township of Fem Tree Gully as the fire in National Park roared to within 100 yards of the business centre. The 40foot flames, which had raged out of control in the park, actually reached within feet of the State school. Hundreds of fire fighters had fled before it down the heavily timbered slopes. Night seemed to have fallen and a garish hot light lit their way. Blazing branches and leaves flew into the streets of Fern Tree Gully, and on to roofs.

Creating its own blast of hot wind, ths fire roared around three houses next to the school and sped down to the new electrified railway line to Upwey. Fire fighters, wilting in the intense heat, stood on the bitumen playground watching tremendous flames swallow the whole forest around the school. Then, in Fem Tree Gully’s blackest minute, the searing wind suddenly swung in the opposite direction and the fire began to burn back on its own track. Fire fighters called it “a miracle” as they watched the flames hesitate, then end their onward rush.

Wye River. a holiday town 101 miles from Melbourne on the south coast, was almost wiped out by fire early today. Only a tiny store, the main part of the hotel and a couple of holiday shacks remain. Twentyfive houses are thought to have been destroyed. Hundreds of holidaymakers fled to the beach to escape the roaring fire that swept on the townshin from Mount Defiance. Flames swallowed permanent homes and holiday houses dotting the mountainside

The Wye River Itself was jammed with cars and caravans driven into the water from the camping ground. The police say that the fire grew from an illegally-lit roadside campfire early yesterday. This morning It was raging on eight fronts through the Otwavs towards Kennett River. There are an estimated 500 fire-fighters from the surrounding areas at the fire.

Hospitals near Melbourne have been working overtime treating weary fire-fighters for snake-bite. bums, heat exhaustion and other injuries.