GREAT OIL FIRE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, 10 April 1926, Page 5

GREAT OIL FIRE

% A .MILLION BARRELS ABLAZE FLAMES FOUR HUNDRED FEET HIGH COUNTRYSIDE RUINED By Telegraph.—Press A-wn .—Copyright (Sydney “Sun” Cable.) VANCOUVER, April 8. The fire, which continues nt San Luis Obispo, California, is described as the greatest- fire in the history of the oil industry. Terrific explosions are occurring, and the flames are reaching 400 feet in the air. Eight tanks, containing nearly a million barrel® of oil, are now burning. The neighbourhood over a radius or over a dozen miles is soaked with xnl, and farms, villages, and country homes have been ruined. x" , . _ The fire has attracted visitors from nil parts of California. The adjoining town of Amft has heen abandoned because it was spoiled with oil-soaked cinders. ■ _ Five tank steamers are rushing to San Xiuis. hoping to he able to'jump some of the remaining millions of barrels from the underground pools. Otherwise, the fire will spread to all of these, and they will explode or burn.

The fire in the Union Oil , Company fields started when lightning struck a huge underground concrete tank. Four .tanks were then burning, making probably the largest conflagration ever experienced on the United States oilfields. If the barricades, which built, failed to check the spread of the flaming liquid, the company’s officials said that nothing could save the remaining tanks. ANOTHERBLAZE GREAT RESERVOIR , BURNING MILLIONS OF BARRELS. Reuter’s Telegram. (Received April 9, 7.5 P-m.) LOS ANGELES, April 8. The reservoir area of the Union Oil Company, whose tanks at San Luis Obisbo were still ablaze late on Thursday is the scene of a second conflagration. The reservoir holds 2,750,000 barrels. '' . ' , At San Luis the spreading lake of fire is now half a mile square. Tile damage caused by the fires on the two fields is estimated at more than 13 million dollars. TOWN - ON FIRE X TWO TANKS EXPLODE. (Sydney "Sun” Cable.) (Received April 10, 1.15 a.m.) - SAN FRANCISCO,. April 8. Brea, a town at a short distance from San Luis Obisbo, is now on fire, since two of the Union Company tanks exploded. The explosions have added £1,000,000 to the damage already done.