At Least Twenty Fatalities: Huge Losses in Lumber and)
Property: P.10,0
00,000 Damage Milo, Apr. 15.
Involving a loss estimated at 5,000,000 pesos, the Insular Lumber Ca, an American firm at Sagay, Ocdental Negros, burned yesterday and to-day.
The conflagration left 12,000 persons homeless.
Machinery, lumber stock, Iabourers' quarters—everything connected with the company, in faet—has gone up in flame, according to telegraphic reports here.
The blaze started at 10
Jast night and was ing at 8 feloek this morning.
Continuous explosions of stored Ajnamite and the boilers of steam nigines increased the panic which spread with the growth of the fire.
Many are known to have been Killed, but the exact number has not yet been ascertained.
Reports indicated that this was the greatest fire in the history of Gccidental Negros. The flames were allowed to rage without efforts control as it was plain that they were beyond any human power not aided by move than the small emergency equipment at the "company's plant.
At last reports, everything in the vicinity. was threatened by. spread of the blaze, Ape. 17.
While it is still impossible to obtain accurate reports on the con-Aagration still raging at Sagay, Occidental Negéos, it is known that Toast four ave dead and" that damage is estimated at P. 10,000,000} twice the estimate made yesterday.
The Insular Lumber Ca,, Ame can firm, where the fire started, is the largest lumber plant in. the Grient, It has been wholly destroyed And the fire is. spreading.
The disaster represents the great-ext single destruction in the history! of the Philippines except for havoc! wrought by typhoons.
Reports are coming from Fabvien, barrio (village) of Sagay ality, 100 kilometres from fenved that Cadiz, 10] Kilometres. from Sagay, may destroyed if the fire does not die down itself, The conflagration is so great that it has been found impossible to fight it effectively.
Communications in the devastated area are crippled. The Red Cro:
preparing yo render aid to The same plant was similarly destroyed six years ago. By a cidence, the former fire was also in standing Tike candles, with their Holy Week, a time of great import-to the Catholics of the Philipines. The corapany was founded ly former Senator Fassett of Elmira, New York. told the United Press that a great Jdeal of lumber had been destroyed.
"We estimate that 5,000,000 board [feet of the Insular Lumber Ca, stock' has been burned," he said, "but 15,000,000 feet was saved. The mill Jand all equipment, however, were 'A check thus far shows that 300
Jcompany houses were burned and] lover 100 private homes. In addition to the company losses, Gil Lopez lost property valued at 100,000 pesos jand the Chinese-owned Wing Kee [Grocery lost property valued at 50,000 pesos.
The Insular Lumber Ca. intends og to continue its lumber shipments to the United States from stocks of lumber which were salvaged. The Jeompany wharf was saved. The Peay office Is a total loss. Thieves whd rifled the post office safe took 3,000 pesos in cash and some portant documents.
Refugees are crowded into. the! schoolhouses for shelter. Red Cross, officials are aiding in distribution of free rice, Health officers are Jattempting {0 prevent epidemics. The Philippines Constabulary are looting.—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.