SCRUB FIRE NEAR CAMP

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14005, 7 November 1938, Page 5

SCRUB FIRE NEAR CAMP

SPECIAL RESERVISTS TRAPPED BY FLAMES. Electric Telegraph—-Press Association WELLINGTON, Last Night. Lieutenant N. Cowper and several special reservists were trapped by fiam-es when fighting a serious scrub nr** at. Trentham to-day. They escaped after a desperate run for safety, some of the men suffering superficial burns and damage to their uniforms. The outbreak started at 11 a.in. and spread rapidly to the hillside, threatening the pine plantation of Wi Taito prison nearby. All the able-bodied prisoners and staff, aided by a detachment of Boy > outs encamped on the Centennial Jamboree site at Heretaunga, endeavoured to cope with the fire, which swept a wide area rapidly. Eventually Trentham camp was called on for help, and 100 reservists, officers and other camp staff responded. Lieutenant- Cowper and several reservists, under the impression that a section or the blazing scrub had h* • n < fleetively dealt with, advanced to fight flames further up on the slop-- While th y were so engaged fhe --t it over which they had advanced blazed up again and they were trapped between two sets of burning scrub. They made a rush for safety through a section where * ! i- : ■ '' ; lea -1 fierce, and got through ni the cost of superficial burn - nnd damaged uniforms. The fin* was suppressed by 3 p.m.