1959 – March 13, dwelling fire (five children, two adults), Easton, ME — 7

–7 AP. “Seven Persons Perish In Fire Near Canadian Border.” Biddeford-Saco Journal, ME. 3-13-1959, 1.
–7 Bugbee. “Fire Protection Developments in 1959.” Quarterly of the NFPA, 53/3, Jan 1960, 178.

Narrative Information

March 13, AP: “Easton, (AP) – Seven persons, including five children, perished early today in a fire that destroyed their five-room cottage in snow-bound Easton, about 10 miles from the Canadian border. The victims were John Hersey, 41, five of his six children, and Carl Lundy, 50, an overnight guest. The children were John, 12, Victoria, 8, James 7, Elizabeth 5 and Cindy 4.

“Hersey’s wife, Christina, 40, and the only surviving child, Deanna, 13, escaped from the blazing 1½ story wooden dwelling by crashing through a first floor window. Both suffered from burns, cuts on the face, chest and arms and from shock.

“Snow drifts fur feet deep on the highways prevented help from reaching the scene in time.

“An ambulance sent from Presque Isle, seven miles away, was able to maneuver only two miles in two hours before it bogged down. Fire trucks sent from Mars Hill, eight miles away, could not get through at all. Only one heavy fire truck made it from Presque Isle….

“Ronald Lloyd, a neighbor, put heavy tire chains on his automobile to take Mrs. Hersey and her daughter to Gould Memorial Hospital. It took about an hour for the seven-mile trip because of the heavy snow on the ground….

“The scene of the fire, which took the seven lives is only 20 miles from the town Ashland, where less than two months ago a fire took the lives of six children.” (Associated Press. “Seven Persons Perish In Fire Near Canadian Border.” Biddeford-Saco Journal, ME. 3-13-1959, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Seven Persons Perish In Fire Near Canadian Border.” Biddeford-Saco Journal, ME. 3-13-1959, p. 1. Accessed 12-14-2022: https://newspaperarchive.com/biddeford-saco-journal-mar-13-1959-p-1/

Bugbee, Percy. “Fire Protection Developments in 1959.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 53, No. 3, Jan 1960, pp. 177-180.