DISASTROUS FIRES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21018, 6 May 1930, Page 9

DISASTROUS FIRES.

OUTBREAKS HN AMERICA. SEVERAL DISTRICTS SWEPT. PEOPLE FLEE FROM HOMES. (United Press Association.), (By Electric .Telegraph—Copyright.) NEW YORK, May 5. (Received May 6, at 0.30‘a.m.) ! Widespread portions of Eastern United States are threatened by timber* fires, in which, although no persons have been reported to have been killed, the damage to property is great. Farms, homes, crops, and timber have been destroyed. Many persons have fled from their homes to safety, while ’ thousands of men and boys arc fighting the flames. Long Island, Central, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and 'Massachusetts are the districts affected.

The greatest damage has been done at Nashua, New Hampshire, where a great timber fire swept.through the city and destroyed 200 residences, three large industrial plants, and. three churches, with damage exceeding 5,000,000 dollars. It left 2000 homeless. The fir,e then crossed the river, being swept,on by high winds,'into the timberland on the other side of the city.

THREE WOMEN KILLED. ' HUNDREDS OF HOMES DESTROYED. , .• ’ NEW. YORK, May 5. (Received May. 6,>at 1 a.m.) Three women were later reported to have been killed at Nashua, where the police stated, .the constabulary are guarding against looting, and the. Red Cross is,aiding the homeless. A whole section of the city is "a mass .of smouldering ruins. ~ The New, Yotk. city fire apparatus has been .busy all day with an .epidemic of suburban fires, which have done v millions of dollars worth,,of. damage and are still burning in several', where communications have been disrupted. More damage is feared,. for as soon as the apparatus is able to reach the scene of one blaze another requests immediate help.

Staten Island, New York, was- the scene of numerous fires, and 75 bungawere destroyed in one section. In another 700 structures . were on fire at once. Eight New York city fire companies were rushed there by ferry, while fireboats aided from the water. The residents who had just arrived for the summer saw all their property ruined; Particularly bad fires are now ; reported fom Lakewood, New Jersey, Amityville, and Long Island. - • ,