1944 — Dec 30, Residential Home Fire, Columbus, IN                                                 —       8

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-28-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–8  Council Bluffs Nonpareil, IA. “Eight Persons Perish as Fire Destroys Home.” 12-31-44, 10

–8  Daily Register, Harrisburg, IL. “Eight Persons Burned to Death in Indiana Fire.” 12-30-44, 1

Narrative Information

Dec 30: “Columbus, Ind., Dec. 30 – (UP) – Eight persons were reported by firemen to have been burned to death today when flames destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. May England in a north-side residential section. Firemen recovered six bodies and searched for two other victims reported in the house. None was identified immediately, according to Dr. Marvin R. Davis, Bartholomew county coroner. Those believed dead were:

“Mrs. Opal England, 30, and her four children, Bonnie, 8, Willie, 9, Dale, 4, and Norma Jane, aged one; Mrs. England’s brother-in-law, Joe England, 18, and his wife, Ruth, 19, and their four-month-old baby, Roger.

“Kay England, a Columbus foundry worker, was absent from home when the fire was discovered at 6 a. m.  He had gone to Kentucky to take home a niece who had visited his family.

“Firemen said that the four-room frame house was a mass of flames when they arrived. Three ambulances were called to the scene to remove the bodies.”  (Daily Register, Harrisburg, IL. “Eight Persons Burned to Death in Indiana Fire.” 12-30-44, 1.)

Sources

Council Bluffs Nonpareil, IA. “Eight Persons Perish as Fire Destroys Home.” 12-31-1944, 10. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=3680389

Daily Register, Harrisburg, IL. “Eight Persons Burned to Death in Indiana Fire.” 12-30-1944, 1. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5820838