1959 — March 29, Coal stove explosion/fire, children, Danieltown, Brunswick Co., VA–     7

— 7  Bugbee. “Fire Protection Developments in 1959.” NFPA Quarterly, 53/3, Jan 1960, p. 178.

— 7  NFPA. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959,” NFPA Quarterly, July 1960, p. 16.

— 7  Southwest Times, Pulaski, VA. “Fires Cause Nine Deaths on Easter.” 3-30-1959, p. 1.^[1]

Narrative Information

NFPA:

“Dwelling of Edward Lewis.

“Danieltown, Va., March 29, 6:00 A.M.

“7 Killed: All Children

 

“Easter Sunday morning the parents awoke to find it slightly chilly. They built a fire a small coal stove in the bedroom of this 1-story, wooden, 4-room dwelling, then dressed. Leaving the children, the husband drove his wife to church for the sunrise service and returned to his mother’s home 200 yards down the road from his own house. The damper on the coal stove had been left closed. The gases of incomplete combustion caused the stove to explode, blowing, hot coals around the room igniting combustibles nearby. The unattended children (aged 11, 10, 8 5, 3, and 2 years and a baby 10 months) were asphyxiated in their beds.

 

“A passerby saw the flames, attempted to call the fire department from a neighbors telephone and, on discovering that the phone was out of order, drove 6 miles to the fire station to give the alarm. Rescue attempts by spectators were in vain due to the extent of the fire and by the time the fire fighters arrived, the roof had collapsed.”  (NFPA. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959,” NFPA Quarterly, July 1960, p. 16.)

 

Sources:

 

Bugbee, Percy (NFPA General Manager). “Fire Protection Developments in 1959.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 53, No. 3, January 1960, pp. 177-178.

 

National Fire Protection Association.  “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 53, July 1960, pp. 7-38.

 

Southwest Times, Pulaski, VA. “Fires Cause Nine Deaths on Easter.” 3-30-1959, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=170281982&sterm=danieltown+fire

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Another fire elsewhere (Remington) took two lives.