FIRES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13394, 18 September 1907, Page 5

FIRES.

' BUSINESS BLOCK DESTROYED. GREAT DAMAGE AT MURWILLUMBAH. Press Association-By Telegraph-CopvriijiH SYDNEY, September' 17. A fh-e at Bungalow, which also started in a bakery, destroyed the Bank of New South Wale*' premises and six other business places. - With a view to checking the flames at Murwillumbah, which were spreading to Solomon and C'o.'s big stores, the Commercial Bank premises were demolished. The experiment- was successful. If this action had not been taken it- would have been impossible to save a number of buildings in ..side streets which escaped. In the meantime the flames crossed tha street, and swept a large block on the other side. The post 'office caught, 'fire seven times, but heroic efforts saved the building. Had it gone a dozen-other buildings must have followed. The patientis- from a private hospital were removed, and tended in the streets.

It- is estimated that 250 people have bsen rendered homeless. Scores took their beds and slept in the open for the remainder of the night. Others were accommodated in churches and schools.

So far as is.known no lives have been lost. There were several accidents, but none of serious character. During the progress of the fire there was a- considerable amount of looting. On the main side of the town only two hotels, a. .store and a butcher's shop main.

Many places were insured, but the insurance is small compared with the losses. Amongst tJie lines mentioned is the New Zealand Insurance Company, which had risks to the amount'of J34710.

Estimates of the damage.of the Murwillumbah fire range up (a £ISO,OCO. The greater part of the business centre has been reduced to a mass of ruins. The whole destruction was wrought in four hours, and but for the precaution of pulling down buildings in the track of the conflagration probably the whole jtown would have been swept away.

Loads of furniture and goods of all descriptions saved from the disaster strewn along the north side of tli« main "street wbsn the outbreak occurred, helped to spread the fire, the sparks soon igniting the goods.

BUSH FIRES. BRISBANE, September 17. Destructive hvh fires are. 'raging in the Barcaldine and ■.Wih'toh districts'.