1958 — Nov 27, Fire, Mary Flake Home for Handicapped Children, Warr Acres, OK — 5

— 5 Bakersfield Californian. “5 Crippled Youngsters Die in Fire.” 11-27-1958, p. 1.
— 5 Greeley Tribune, CO. “Handicapped Home Fire Said Caused by Child…” 11-28-1958, 16.
— 5 Hamilton Daily News Journal, Fort Hamilton, OH. “10 Children…Die in Fires.” 11-28-58

Narrative Information

Nov 27: “Oklahoma City (UPI) – Fire destroyed a. private convalescent nursery in a quiet, suburban neighborhood here today, but frantic residents of the area were able to rescue only 17 of the helpless handicapped children still abed in the rambling, two-story frame and brick building. Firemen carried five bodies from the residence and said a sixth youngster was critical burned.

“Peace Justice Wendell Foster was awaiting identification of four bodies taken to Mercy Hospital when firemen found another in a charred bed at the rear of the home.

“The fire was discovered shortly before 8 a.m. at the Mary Flake Home, in suburban Warr Acres.

“The rescues had been completed before fire trucks from Warr Acres and nearby Bethany, another suburb, arrived. Thirty minutes later, after reinforcements arrived from the Oklahoma City Fire Department, the flames were quelled so that firemen could begin checking the second floor rooms.

“William L. Brown, a Civil Aeronautics Administration employee who lives next door to the home, groped into the smoke-filled rooms and carried at least 12 of the children to safety. Some of the youngsters were mentally retarded, some victims of cerebral palsy, and others of congenital defects. Brown carried the youngsters from the building and put them wrapped in blankets, in the front yard. Other neighbors in the near, middle-income neighborhood, rushing from their homes in their night clothes, carried the youngsters out of the 30-degree weather. ‘Some of them were hardly awake,’ Brown said. ‘Some were lying in there crying, just waiting for help.’

“Most of the youngsters were under five or six years old.

“The home was operated by Mrs. Mary Flake and her…[unclear, but looks like “niece”] Mrs. Harvey Prince. Mrs. Flake received burns about the face and hands in helping with the rescues.

“At least two of the injured youngsters were taken to Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City.

“Brown said both of the women and 14-year-old Carolyn Flake, daughter of the owner, almost remained in the upstairs portion of the building too long in their rescue attempts. ‘They were almost blind and choking with smoke when we finally got them to leave,’ Brown said.

“Carolyn, a student at Benedictine Heights School in Guthrie, Okla., said she was in bed downstairs when her mother yelled that the house was on fire.

“Firemen said the cause of the blaze had not been determined. The fire was not brought under control until reinforcements from Oklahoma City arrived to help the suburban firemen. The two suburban fire units had only three hoses available….” (Bakersfield Californian. “5 Crippled Youngsters Die in Fire.” 11-27-1958, p. 1.)

Nov 28: “New York (AP) – Ten children and a mother and father perished in three Thanksgiving Day fires. Flames roared through two private dwellings and a private home for children. At Oklahoma City, five youngsters in a nine-room private home for handicapped children were killed. Seventeen other children were carried to safety. The cause of the blaze was not immediately determined, but firemen guessed that a defective gas heater could have started it….” (Hamilton Daily News Journal, Fort Hamilton, OH. “10 Children Two Parents Die in Fires.” 11-28-1958, 1.)

Nov 28: “Oklahoma City (AP) – Fire started in a trash basket by a youngster playing with matches, the state fire marshal’s office said today, caused the deaths of five children. Chester Stringer investigated the blaze at a home for handicapped children on the northwest outskirts of Oklahoma City. He said the youngster, Lee Wilhelm, one of those who died in the fire, apparently set the basket on fire accidentally, then his clothing caught fire. The boy, about 6, ran upstairs, apparently spreading the flames which gutted the two-story brick house.” (Greeley Daily Tribune, CO. “Handicapped Home Fire Said Caused by Child Playing with Matches.” 11-28-1958, p. 16.)

Sources

Bakersfield Californian. “5 Crippled Youngsters Die in Fire.” 11-27-1958, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=154237645&sterm

Greeley Daily Tribune, CO. “Handicapped Home Fire Said Caused by Child Playing with Matches.” 11-28-1958, p. 16. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=51330030&sterm

Hamilton Daily News Journal, Fort Hamilton, OH. “10 Children Two Parents Die in Fires.” 11-28-1958, 1. http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=155840873&sterm=handicapped+fire+oklahoma+city