kerosene added, Fox Lake, Lakewood, 12M ~Muskegon MI–11

lornajarrettblanchard March 3, 1949

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard Sep 13, 2023 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–11 NFPA. “Recent Important Fires, Fire News, No. 380, April 1949, p. 8.

–11 United Press. “Condition of Lone Survivor of Fire is Critical.”

Narrative Information

National Fire Protection Association: “Use of kerosene to freshen a coal fire in the kitchen was the cause of an explosion and flash fire that killed 9 children and 2 adults in the 1-story wooden dwelling.” (NFPA. Fire News, April 1949, p. 8)

Newspaper

March 3, UP: “Lakewood, Muskegon county, March 3 (UP) – Ten persons are known to have perished, two critically burned, and police feared two others may be dead as result of an explosion and fire which leveled a two-story frame home here. Discovery of an unidentified body shortly after noon today threatened to boost the death toll, but the remains were later identified as those of the family dog.

“Harold Clover, 17, and his elder brother, Ward, Jr., 21 were burned and taken to Muskegon hospitals. Attendants said they were not expected to survive.

“Police were unable to locate Mrs. Clover’s estranged husband, but he was reported to be in Chicago.

“Officers said a coal stove apparently exploded in the frame building and caused the rapidly spreading fire. The victims were trapped and their bodies were found huddled in little groups.

“Officers said that the victims would not be removed from the ashes until the arrival of Sgt. Quentin Dean, deputy fire marshal.

“They feared that there might be other victims as neighbors in this little Fox lake village of 64 residents said there frequently were as many as 20 persons spending the night in the house.

“Lack of communications prevented rapid identification of the victims. Police said Mrs. Clover had 13 children including Eileen Clover, 25, and Mrs. Betty Pickett, both of Muskegon, and Robert Clover of Parkway.

“‘The stove just seemed to go up in a flash of flame,’ Harold Clover told sheriff deputies at Muskegon hospital. That was the only clue police had available so far to cause the death-dealing explosion. Deputies were able to question Harold only briefly as he was given emergency treatment for burns.

“Both of the injured sons had burns on nearly all of their bodies and attendants said their chances of survival were slim.

“The building destroyed by fire was formerly the ‘Lakewood Sportsmen’s club’ at Fox lake. It had been converted into a residence.” (United Press. “10 Dead in Muskegon Area Blaze.” The Holland Evening Sentinel, MI. 3-3-1949, p. 1.)

March 4, UP: “Lakewood (UP) – Lakewood (UP) – The lone survivor of an explosion and fire which killed 11 persons was reported in critical condition in a Muskegon hospital today. Howard Clover, 17,[1] suffered burns over most of his body yesterday in the flash-fire that killed his mother, Mrs. Maude Clover, 46, nine of his brothers and sisters and a roomer, August Taskey, 60. They died in the destruction of rambling Fox Lake resort structure which once had housed the Lakewood Sportsmen’s Club, 12 miles north of Muskegon.

“Howard told Deputy State Fire Marshal Quentin Dean that his mother was pouring kerosene on a fire in a coal stove when the explosion spread flaming oil in the interior of the frame house.

“The dead children were [we break paragraph into separate lines]

Nancy, 5;

Ardis June, 4;

Sandra, 8;

James, 9;

Roger Lee, 10;

David, 11;

Harold, 13;

Joan, 15; and

Ward Clover, Jr., 21. Ward died in a hospital at Muskegon….”

(UP. “Lone Survivor of Fire is Critical.” South Haven Daily Tribune, MI. 3-4-1949, p. 1.)

Sources

National Fire Protection Association. “Recent Important Fires, Fire News, No. 380, April 1949.

United Press. “10 Dead in Muskegon Area Blaze.” The Holland Evening Sentinel, MI. 3-3-1949, p. 1. Accessed 9-14-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/holland-evening-sentinel-mar-03-1949-p-1/

United Press. “Lone Survivor of Fire is Critical.” South Haven Daily Tribune, MI. 3-4-1949, p. 1. Accessed 9-14-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/south-haven-daily-tribune-mar-04-1949-p-1/

WikiTree. “Howard Lafe Clover (1932-2005.” Accessed 9-14-2023 at: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clover-210

[1] Howard Lafe Clover died in 2005 at about the age of 73. (WikiTree. “Howard Lafe Clover (1932-2005.”)

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