1956 — July 30, Reagan Nursing Home Fire (1 survivor), Puxico, MO — 12

–13 NFPA. “Summary of Fire Deaths in Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Homes for the Aged.” 1979.
–12 Daily Sikeston Standard, MO. “Multi-Pronged Probe Planned of Puxico Fire.” 8-1-1956, p. 1.
–12 Daily Sikeston Standard, MO. “Twelve Patients Die…Flames Raze Nursing Home…” 7-31-1956, 1.
–12 Ellinghouse. Mingo: Southeast Missouri’s Ancient Swamp… 2008, p. 194.
–12 National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996.

Narrative Information

Ellinghouse: “The most tragic [fire] occurred July 30, 1956. Twelve died in a blaze that gutted the three-story Reagan Rest Home. Victims included Bertha Reagan, fifty-three, the operator, and her seven-year-old grandson David Johnson. Charity Fredericks, the only patient to survive the fire, was confined to a second-floor room and rescued by Jack Harty, a carpenter, and Jack Doublin, a service station attendant, according to a newspaper account. The two men climbed to a roof under her window, broke the window glass, and pulled her through the opening. Victims with Puxico addresses were Lois Rodgers, Harriet Shaffer, DS. O. Kinnaman, and George Casey. The building owner, Dr. Vernon H. Skillings, who had no part in the management, was chief of the fire department at the time and later the town’s mayor. The nursing home fire threatened Morgan Funeral Home, just thirty feet to the south.” (Ellinghouse, Cletis R. Mingo: Southeast Missouri’s Ancient Swamp and the Countryside Surrounding It. Xlibris Corp. 2008, p. 194.)

Newspaper

July 31: “Puxico – Twelve persons died in a fire that swept through the Reagan Nursing Home here Monday night [July 30], and in less than two hours reduced the old, three-story structure to ruins in spite of the desperate efforts of the local volunteer fire department, assisted by a truck from Poplar Bluff. Only one person in the building escaped alive. The list of dead:

Mrs. Bertha Reagan, 55, Puxico, owner and proprietor of the nursing home.
David Johnson, 7, Puxico, her grandson.
Tom Gard, 85, Fisk, Mo.
Mrs. Harriet Shaffer, early 80s, Puxico.
D. O. Kinnemon, 76, Puxico.
Mrs. Paralee Dugger, 85, Fisk, the only bed patient.
Miss Lois Rodgers, 30, Puxico.
George Casey, 82, Puxico.
James F. Stringfellow, 73, Chaffee, Mo.
Mrs. Rosa Allwood, 72, Chaffee.
Nancy A Deason, 91, Dexter, Mo.
Mattie Mae Young, in 70s, Dexter.

“Another patient in the doomed building, Mrs. Charity Frederick, 77, a mental patient, from Poplar Bluff, was saved only by the heroic work of three men. Two of them, Garry Dublin and Jack Harty, climbed onto the porch roof, broke the window to Mrs. Frederick’s room and pulled her out. The pair handed her down to Rev. R. S. Ragsdell, who took her to safety.

“The flames were confined to the one building, although, at times, it appeared that the Morgan Funeral Home, just 40 feet away, and a residence, would also catch afire.

“Passersby saw flames curling out of a third story window about 10:20 p.m. Monday and by 11:30 p.m. the fire fighters had the blaze under control but it was not until 1:30 a.m. today that it was possible to get into the building to remove the bodies. Most of the bodies were badly burned and, as they were removed, were taken to the Morgan Funeral Home. All the victims of the holocaust except three, were past 70 and one was bedfast.

“Puxico (AP) – The body of Mrs. Bertha Reagan, 55, who overhauled the old three story building and opened her nursing home 21 months ago, was found in the first-floor kitchen. She apparently was trying to get out the back door but it was locked. Her 7-year-old grandson, David Johnson, was found on the third floor. All the others were on the second. One of them, Lois Rodgers, 40, entered as a patient only yesterday. Everyone in the house apparently was asleep when the fire broke out.

“Dr. Vernon H. Skillings, 38-year old osteopath, former mayor of the town and chief of its volunteer fire department directed the rescue of Mrs. Frederick along with the Rev. R. S. Ragsdale, 44-year-old minister. Dr. Skillings said he knew where Mrs. Frederick’s room was and saw that this part of the home was free of flames at first. Mrs. Frederick, unable to talk, was taken back to Poplar Bluff by her daughter.

“John Ryan, chief of the fire department at nearby Poplar Bluff, Mo., said he and Sgt. Jack Pritchard of the Missouri Highway Patrol found a hole burned in the ceiling above a sofa on the first floor. They theorized a smoldering cigarette had fallen on the sofa.

“‘The whole interior was on fire and flames seemed to be shooting clear to the third floor when I got there,’ said Jack Harty, a carpenter, who was among the first on the scene.

“Two patients, Miss Lois Rogers, 30 and D. O. Kinnemon, 76, both of Puxico, entered the home only yesterday.

“Most of the 750 residents of this little lumbering town turned out to help. Puxico is in the southeast Missouri Ozarks about 125-airline miles south of St. Louis and about 25 miles northeast of Poplar Bluff.

“Coroner Ray Rainey impaneled a jury on the scene and said he would hold an inquest in a few days. He said he could not tell whether the 12 burned to death or suffocated. Most, he said, seemed badly burned….

“The nursing home was inspected and approved by the Missouri State Board of Health less than two months ago, Rainey said.” (Daily Sikeston Standard, MO. “Twelve Patients Die After Flames Raze Nursing Home at Puxico; Only One is Rescued.” 7-31-1956, p. 1.)

Sources

Daily Sikeston Standard, MO. “Multi-Pronged Probe Planned of Puxico Fire.” 8-1-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-23-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sikeston-daily-standard-aug-01-1956-p-12/

Daily Sikeston Standard, MO. “Twelve Patients Die After Flames Raze Nursing Home at Puxico; Only One is Rescued.” 7-31-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-22-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sikeston-daily-standard-jul-31-1956-p-9/

Ellinghouse, Cletis R. Mingo: Southeast Missouri’s Ancient Swamp and the Countryside Surrounding It. Philadelphia: Xlibris Corp. 2008. Partially Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=AjnZBjFsF0EC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996. Accessed 2010 at: http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1352&itemID=30955&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fire%20statistics/Key%20dates%20in%20fire%20history&cookie%5Ftest=1

National Fire Protection Association. “Summary of Fire Deaths in Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Homes for the Aged.” Pp. 311-313 in: U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Health and Long-Term Care of the Select Committee on Aging. Fires in Boarding Homes: The Tip of the Iceberg (Hearing). April 25, 1979.