1959 — April 25, Oil Heater explosion/fire, Waldrop home, Hill City, near Calhoun, GA– 6
— 6 NFPA. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959.” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 53, July 1960, p. 16.
— 6 Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. “Fire Takes Lives of 6 in Calhoun,” 4-25-1959, p. 1.
Narrative Information
NFPA: “Dwelling of F. F. Waldrop; Hill City, Ga., April 25, 4:30 A.M.; “6 Killed: 2 Adults, 4 Children
“The mother of this family was in an out-of-town hospital undergoing surgery. The father had obtained a woman, 40, to stay with his five children. Also in the home was the father’s stepsister, 20, and an eight-year-old friend of the children. The woman in charge may have been unfamiliar with the oil-fired heating device in the living room or the device may have been defective; details are not reported. It is known that an explosion occurred in the device and that the ensuing fire resulted in the death of the woman, the stepsister, and four of the five children of the Waldrops. One daughter, 7, and her visiting friend were in a rear bedroom of the 1-story dwelling and are reported to have escaped via a window.” (National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959.” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 53, July 1960, p. 16 of pp. 7-38.)
Newspaper
April 25: “Calhoun, Ga. (AP) – Six persons, including four children whose mother is seriously ill, burned to death early today when fire destroyed the frame house in which they were sleeping. Two little girls escaped from the inferno in me Hill City community west of Calhoun and about 10 miles southeast of Chattanooga, Tenn. The dead are:
Mrs. Clemmie Ruth Simmons, 34;
Betty Stone, 19;
Peggie Waldrop, 10;
Blanch Waldrop, 8;
Bradley Waldrop, 4; and
Douglas Waldrop, 2.
“The two who escaped were identified as Wandra Waldrop, 7, and Judy Ann Holt, 8, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cephus Holt of the nearby Sugar Valley community.
“Waldrops are children of Mr. and Mrs. F.F. Waldrop who are in Atlanta where Mrs. Waldrop was undergoing serious surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Mrs. Simmons was staying at the Waldrop home with the children as was Betty Stone, a half-sister of Waldrop.
“Sgt. E. M. Whitfield of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said preliminary evidence pointed to explosion of a kerosene stove as the cause of the tragedy. Whitfield said three men reported they were passing the five-room house at about 5:15 a m. when they heard what they thought was an explosion, followed quickly by flames….” (Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. “Fire Takes Lives of 6 in Calhoun,” 4-25-1959, p. 1.
Sources
National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 53, July 1960, p. 16 of pp. 7-38.)
Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA. “Fire Takes Lives of 6 in Calhoun,” 4-25-1959, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=189455008&sterm