HUGE FIRES.

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1926, Page 5

HUGE FIRES.

IN AUSTRALIA Damage Over a Million. BIG FLOI It MILL LOST. MELBOURNE. February 25.. Damages in excess of /?250,000 was ; lone by fire, which completely gntcd ih e flour milling establishment of John Darling, and Sons, Albion. From the outset, the fire brigade had ittle chance of saving the mills, owing to ihe extremely poor water pre \ uire. The soldiers’ settlement. In. the vicinity of the milts, narrowly escaped destruction. Large stocks of grain md Hour were destroyed.. The mills vere claimed to be the most modern n the Southern Hemisphere. . The fire was one of the largest ever vitnessed in the Tcate. Ten men were n the building at the time of the Qyj,reak, but all got away safely, except wo on the roof who escaped by sliding nwn the grain shoots. Hundreds of r.luntary helpers assisted; these inhided women who lumped bags of cheat and large stacks of flour gtill .blaze. Enormous Loss of Sugar. THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION POUNDS’ WORTH. ADELAIDE, February 25. A tremendous fire broke out at the Glanvillp works of the Colonial Sugar Refining Coy., where thera was a stock of raw sugar amounting to fifeen thousand tons It is. estimated Tint 1’750,000 worth of sugar was destroyed. The damage to the buildiftg md plant is estimated at £lOO,OOO. LATEK Th? damage by the Sugar Company ire is now est-mated at a hundred housand sterling. Seventeen thousand tons of sugar, ■he property of the Queensland GovrniheM, is still turning. The mighty onfi.- s are to l.e seen for many miles, H'i 1-ave either destroyed or damaged II Hid storks of refined sugar. Su|>|.lie.s are being rushed from Mel>ournw to avoid a shortage. More Bush Fires. another town wiped out. MELBOURNE, February 25. A stronp; northerly gale was responsible for a recurrence of tne bush fires in several centres of the State. Meagre details have been received, and it -is not known just how serious the fires arc. A report from Kinglake, however, stared that the situation there is seri ous. The lire swept down on the town, which is a fairly large settlement. about tv.enty-five miles northwest of Melbourne. Practically the whole town was wiped out, except tha post office, in which forty people took refuge, and which was entirely surrounded by flames. It is believed they are safe. twelve mile fire front. The fire Lx burning on a twelve-mil'? front. The settlement at 'Clenbhrn, 10 miles, south is surrounded, but it is thought to be safe for the time being. Queenstown is also- endangered, arid the women and children have been irdered away. OTHER BIG OUTBREAKS. Another fire-is reported at Glenyon and is sweeping southwards towards th e small settlement named Little Hampton, which at present is in imminent danger. An outbreak which occurred in the Ankie Range, near Geelong;. Between 2000 and 3000 men are fighting it, but with little success. A message from Lome says that Airey's Inlet is threatened by a fire sweeping southward from the Otwav Ranges. The settlers in the line of advance left their homes. It is thought that several houses have already been aestroN ed. QUEENSLAND DROUGHT breaks. BRISBANE. February 25. \ long drv spell on the Darling Downs has broken, rain falling heavily throughout the night. Floods are threatening.