Australian Bush Fires Swallow Whole Towns

ANCHOR:
And now to todays top story out of Australia. The state of Victoria is in the midst of a national emergency with devastating bush fires that have already taken the lives of 131 people. With the death toll expected to rise to over 200, these ravage bush fires are being called the worst in Australian history. Communities are banding together to help one another with the enormous loss they have suffered.
STORY:
More than 800-thousand acres of mostly bushland here in Victoria has been burned to the ground.

The wall of fire has been traveling at over 100 km an hour reaching over 13 meters high.

Following Victorias intense heat wave over the past two weeks, the fire came ablaze on the afternoon of Saturday the 7th. The blaze tore through several rural towns about an hour away from the outskirts of the city of Melbourne. With southerly winds pushing it forward, many residents who thought they were safe, had no time to react to the incoming inferno.

Many people died in their cars trying to flee and others were killed huddled in their homes, yet some escaped by taking cover in swimming pools or hiding in their homes cellar.

One man was nearly at a loss for words after he lost his two children in the blaze.

"I lost two kids, mate, and nothing will bring them back."

As dawn broke in the town of Whittlesea, where most people died, shocked residents wandered the streets, some crying, searching for loved ones still missing.

"They come that quick that people got stuck, people got trapped and unfortunately we've lost some lives."

More than 750 homes were destroyed and some 78 people, with serious burns and injuries, are in the hospital.

Police believe some of the fires were deliberately lit.

[Christine Nixon, Victorian Police Commissioner]:
"We're not sure how many fires have been deliberately lit. We do believe there have been some and at this stage in Gippsland, we believe there certainly has been an arsonist."

Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd toured the region Monday to offer support to victims.

He says it will take years to rebuild.

[Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister]:
"It will take a long time. We intend to be there for the duration."




NTD will continue to closely monitor the situation with the fires and will keep you updated as the situation progresses.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• australia
• bush fire
• victoria
• victims
• melbourne

[a53fly]

This is all over the US media. We pray for Australia.

[110110110112]

God dam those arsonists, they should be given The Death penalty

[creekofsteel]

@wilksnelson

wow, after ever thing we went through, this is exactly what we want to hear .

filthy australian scum that were killed ? What is wrong with you ? Little boys and girls died, babies, old couples , I am lost for words, what a disgusting person you are .

RIP guys, i miss you ♥

[Neve089]

@wilksnelson For starters, This train of thought could only have come

from a self obsessd slob of a man .

A parasite in human society.

And im sure your Country would love to know that you are the reason the terorrist

are killing You people . {  Advance Australia Fair }

[Cleveman1er]

Mate u r a fucking dickhead. For starters Australians are NOT rednecks. People lost everything they lost family and personal belongings that can never be replaced. more than 200 people died in this. Its also pretty sad that u r saying that shit behind a monitor, I swear to god mate if u came down here and said that u would regret being born

[jojoauz]

Your the JOKE mate!... You sound like a real maggot, as for dingo's there aint any in Victoria unless your speaking from experience with fucking one when you were last here..., and Aboriginals... they are far better than you. You seem really excited by the thrill of fire so I suggest next time your avaliable come visit me so I can shove a lit fire cracker up your ass and bang some sense into that small disgarded piece of waste that you call a brain! FUCK TARD!

[wilksnelson]

muhahahahha.. nothing better than the site of filtyh australian scum being burnt alive to a crisp. YOU are the scum of the western world..filthy backward redneck fucks! what a shame more of you dingo/abo fucking white trash "aorrziiiess" were'nt killed.

such a dumb race that cannot speak english, you are so dumb you put ur homes in the middle of high fire danger areas hahahah.

cannot wait till the next bushfire!!

such an race of fucking retards.. yet you think you own the world YOU'RE A JOKE

[3aw77]

Jeff kennett sold our emergency 000 to an overseas foreign country , You never sell an Government owned company off .

[PimpinJac]

i don't see what you find so bloody funny... and it's huddled, not hudled

[fashioncloset]

at 1:17, is Ross, i was good mates with one of his kids that died... his name was Mack, a great basketball player he was as well, RIP mac and Neeve