Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-12-28
FATAL ACCIDENT.
EXPLOSION OF A RANGE.--A LADY Cur
AND BURNED.-SuE Dies FROM THE
EFFECTS OF HER INJURIES.

About half past eight O'Clock yesterday
morning terrific explosion Of the water
back" of the range in the kitchen of Samuel
Knox, No. 2O6 Walnut street, created con-
siderable excitement among the residents
of that vicinity, and resulted in fatal ipiu-
ries TO Mrs. Knox, from which she died
after suffering severely for five hours
During the night the fire had become very
low and Mrs. Knox, on rising at O'Clock,
had kindled it and was sitting in front OF
the range warming herself and waiting for
the fire to come up. The excessively cold
weather of the night had frozen the water
in the pipe between the water back and the
boiler, when steam was generated it having
no means OF escape the explosion cnsued.
The water back bursted and the range was
broken into hundreds of pieces, the hot
Goals aad fragments Of iron were thrown
around promiscuously.
Mrs Knox was struck N the face and
upper portion of her body by the pieces of
iron (; the burning Goals were hurled into
her lap, and she was thrown back dis
tance of six feet into the room. She had
several severe gashes about the hrnd and
breast, and was burned about the arms and
lower portions of her body in such a man
ner that the flesh fairly peeled OIL. Her
arms and limbs were almost entirely de-
nuded of the outer flesh.
AT the time of The explosion Mr.. Knox
was in bed, and hearing the report and
feeling the shaking of the house, he arose
and hurried down stairs and endoavored
to carry his wife into the yard but finding
that he was being burned about the hands
and feet laid her down and ran-iuto an ad-
joining room to procure piece Of carpet.
His son Samuel who preceded him down
stairs succeeded in raising his mother from
! the snow and by the same partially succeed
ed in eXtnguishing the flames. Mrs.
! KnoX's fnce and neck were not burned.
owing to the presence of mind of Frank
! Hoy, who was passing and ran into the
| house to assist, in throwing his coat over
those portions OF her boay.
The injured lady was carried up stairs
and laid on the bed, her remaining clothing
removed, and her wounds dressed by ply
sicians, who had been summoned TO her
relief. She expired about halfpast one
O'Clock, Notwithstanding everything was
done that medical neu could do for her.
She was sensible for some time after the
accident, and was able to state how the
accident occurred.
She was so severely burned and badly
cut that it was hardly to be expected that
she could recover, ANA the shock itself WAS
sufficient to cause her death.
The report Of the explosion was similar
to the discharge OF Il cannon, and was heard
several hundred yards from the scene
while the houses il the vicinity were con
siderabiy shaken.
The fragments Of iron from the range
were thrown in every direction and scvera
indenturcs were noticeable in the ceiling anc
wall Every pane of glass in the window
in the kitchen was broken. and Il portion
of one OF the sashes was blown out.
Mrs. Knox was aged about ffty-fou
years, and was II very eslimable lady.
Her sudden demise will casta gloom owe
her circle of friends, and The afflicted amil'
have the " npathy Ot the cnt re comnluui
ty.
Mr.. Knox and his son were severed
burned while cndeavoring to remove th
sufferer from the kitchen and eXtnguisI
the hames. 49, Iarri>51ag Telegraph Of -GoH
duy.