FIRE FROM HEAVEN!

Grey River Argus, 12 July 1945, Page 5

FIRE FROM HEAVEN!

SENSATION IN SPAIN Mysterious Conflagrations LONDON, July 11 “Falling fire,” a curious phenomenon, is occurring in Spain, ft w r as at first dismissed as village gossip, among the peasant population of me Nish province of Almeria. It nag now been officially- confirmed. Since June 16, persons wearing white clothing in the open by aay. have frequently found themselves to be on fire. The white painted walls of farm houses, and laundry laid out to dry in the fields, have mysteriously started to blaze under a not sun. The peasants state that the tire, from heaven has followed six years of drought, and that God must oe very angry with Spain. So far four hundred cases of damage by the “falling fire” have been reported. Scientists are investigating the phenomena. They have many explanations. One scientist relates it to a phenomenon St. Elmo s Ines which play on ship masts at sea. Another' scientist says that the region is a good conductor of electricity, and that the fires mignt well be caused by static discharges of electricity. The fire were treated by another scientist with contempt. He was the chief engineer of a nearby geological institute. Fie spent two days in a village in the area, but nothing happened. Two hours after his departure, however, the farmers Began fighting fires all over the region.