AWFUL HOLOCAUST

Northern Advocate, 17 February 1926, Page 5

AWFUL HOLOCAUST

VICTORIA’S FLAMING FORESTS HARROWING NARRATIVES. THOUSANDS OF HOMES GONE. (Received 9 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. Latest reports concerning the forest fires state that the dead total 32, made up as follows:—Powclltown and Gilderoy (including four missing, believed to be dead) 16, Big Pat’s Creek six, Neerim East four, Nayook two, Erica one, Glengarry^one, Bnnyip one, and Fumina South on,e. - , The total is expected to greatly increase when search parties are able to explore the smouldering regions.

Survivors of fires tell harrowing stories. George Worley, at whose mill at Powclltown 14 persons lost their lives, stated that the fire went through bis house at the roar of the mill and reached the mill in the hills late in the afternoon. He entertained grave fears for the safety of the hands at the mil.', but considered if they had remained at the mill in the open they would have been safe. This was what they failed to do. There rvere 20 persons living in the vicinity of the mill, and all but six perished, two others being badly scorched. There were two large holes in the creek near the mill which woule have sheltered them, but they became panic-stricken with the advance of the terrible wall of fire and fled into the bush among the thick scrub, wdicro they wore trapped. Four persons remained in the logging yard of the mill and- wore saved. Two others, after trying to reach a clearing’a mile and a half away, turned back and struggled to safety in the yard.

Another survivor from Gilderoy said that the fire began some miles away from the township, and a groat cloud of yellow smoke was seen approaching Suddenly Are broke out about half a mile from his house. Soon the whole hillside was ablaze, and the women and children wore sent across the ereek. Soon afterwards a gale began to blow and the fire raged with intensified fury. Refugees from the Noojec area are still pouring into Warragul.

It is estimated that thousands of homes throughout Gippslaud, apart I from the wiping out of Noojec townj ship, have been destroyed.. j Rain is now hoped for, as the wind | is blowing from the south.

When the women and children were placed in the river at Noojcc under wet blankets, the heat was so intense Miat the blankets quickly dried and relays of men had to carry wet blankets to them. Every inch-of available space was occupied by refugees. In the midst of the conflagration a horse dragging a blazing cart dashed through the main street,. The car belonged to a local butcher, who had loaded it with nil his money and valuables.

Half of the inhabitants of Noojee are suffering from temporary blindness. —A. and N.Z.

AMID THE RUINS. WEEPING SUFFERERS. TRAGEDY ACCUMULATES. (Receivod.. 12.30 p.m.) This Day. Reports from the chief fire areas show” that SO bodies so far have been recovered. A number' of other people are believed to be dead. Twelve are injured. The fires arc still smouldering, but as the wind has dropped further alarming extensions arc not at present anticipated. Further loss of life is reported, but in the number of reports coming to hand there are conflicting statements, and it is difficult to■ estimate the actual extent of the fatalities.

One resident of Nayook, named John Armour, previously reported missing, was found burned'.to death in the ruins of his home.' Unconfirmed rumours from the Noojee area suggest that a number of additional bodies have been found. Another body has been found in Powelltown, and there are still a number of people not accounted for in the more outlying settlements. Communication with some of these isolated par<£ has not yet been restored. The material damage throughout the State-has been incalculable. A number of timber mills have been destroyed, and this interruption of the milling industry will result in serious unemploy-' ment. The position is accentuated by the fact that many of those thrown out of work are married men with families who have lost everything but the clothes in which they stand. Supplies of clothing, bedding and food have been rushed by the State Government to areas where refugees are congregated. Cabinet has appointed a . sub committee to report upon the question rehabilitating settlors who have been burned out.

Many traffic, scenes were witnessed amid the blackened ruins of homes and villages. Women and children, with eyes still strained with the terror of the awful ordeal, were to be seen viewing the remains of their homes, clinging to some cherished possession which they had managed to salvage from the welter of destruction. A report has-been received that 12 additional bodies have been recovered in the Wbrrncml area, but this is not vet confirmed.

The list of dead is—E. J. "Walker, Mrs. Walker and two sons, aged three and five years respectively; Carl Huy, Lindsay King, S. Johns, H. Johns, Hanson (or Anson), E. Bull, a boy named Duncan (aged three- years), A. Lumson, V. Walsh, L. Roberts, A. Sandham, Thomas Donald, Mrs. Mabel Donald, Leslie Donald (aged four years), William" Donald (aged six years), John Donald (eight years), Allan Hume Olsen, Mrs. Olsen and their sons Walter and Thomas (aged 14 and nine respectively), James Lang, Mrs. E. Mitchell, Thomas Franklin, John Armour and William Fisk.

The missing are—Joseph Johnson, W. Collins and B. W. Bennett.

The seriously injured are—Arthur G. Walker, Harvey G. King, Florence Hodges, Sidney N. Leeman, Ye-ra Hodges and Dorothy Hodges.—A. and N.Z. -