The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-03-26
EIGHT VICTIMS OF FIRE.
A Mother and Seven Children
Perish in Their Own Home.
The Deadly Blaze Battles the
Father at Every Point.

Onezine Colerette, the wealthicst farmer OF
the little village of ST. Michel, about four
miles fro,n Montreal, Quebec, awoke ct half
past four o'clock in the morning, and built
fire ami filled lantern lamp with oil, pre-.
paratory to visiting his barn and feeding and
caring for his stock He finished his chores
about the house by five o'clock, ard taking
his lantern, went to the barn. He had fed
his horses and cattle and was preparing to
return when a terrific explosion broke on his
ears. Rushing to the door he saw his frame
house one mass of flames. Then he remem.
bered that he had set the kerosene can beside
the stove while filling the lantern and that
the stove when he left the house was beglnn
ing to turn red hot.
In a rear room off the kitchen on the
ground floor his wife was asleep when Onezi.
nee left the house. In the upper story,
which was reached by a stairway leading
from the sleeping room slept his seven chill
dren, the oldest thirteen years of age, and
the youngest not quite three years old. He
had an eighth child, girl fifteen years old,
but she was at the Sacred Heart Convent at
Sault Au Recollet-
Wien he saw the flames Colerette dropped
his lantern and rushed toward the house. Al
the door he was met by a burst of flames,
neck and whiskers were badly scorched be
fore he could tear it off. Then he ran to the
rear. Only smoke was coming out Of this
door, and into it Colerette dashed. He got as
far as the door of the sleeping apartment,
but here was solid wall Of flame. The floor
was burning beneath his feet, the ceiling was
burning over his head and the four walls OF
the room in which he was were burning
iercely. To get to the stairway leading to
the upper floor was utterly impossible unless
he dashed into the seething caldron Of fire
wherein he had last seen his wife. he could
see the bed, but it was mass of flames and
empty.
He felt himself being overcome by the
smoke and heat and seeming to 60 mad, as
he now explains it, and not knowing what ha
did he made a rush for the door through
which he had entered. 1t was afire, but
Colerette got through and out into the air.
All his clothes were burning and he sank to
the ground.
The neighbors had now arrived, and while
some Of them dragged Colerette out Of the
reach of the tongues of fire and eItinguished
the flames which had caught his clothes
others ran for remedies. He was conveyed
to a neighbours house and medical aid was
summoned, but, though conscious, he was
not expected to live.
Perhaps dozen people had arrived on the
scene within five minutes after the explosion
took place, but even then it was impossible
to approach within twenty-five feet Of the
building. The ground around it seemed to
be ablaze, and The men who dragged Colerette
out of further danger were badly singed.
There was no fire apparatus in the village
and the fire had to be allowed to burn itself
out, the roof falling in twenty minutes after
the fire BEGAN, and the wooden walls melting
away ten minutes later. Then water from
surrounding wells and snow were thrown on
the pile, and by six o'clock the ruins were
only smoking.
The search for the bodies of the crernated
persons had just begun when two bodies.
charred beyond all recognition, but evident.
ly those of the thirteen-year-old girl and one
of the boys, were found alongside the foun-
dation outside of where the wall had been.
They had probably fallen out of one of the
upper windows while the flames and smoke
from below hid them from the view Of the
lockers on. and being helpless on the ground
they had roasted to death outside the house.
Later on the body of Mrs. Colorette was
found. The limbs were entirely burned of.
About 2 p. ". the Searchers found tiny leg,
or the bones of one, with the flesh burned off.
That was all that remained of eight persons.
The remains found were removed to the
barn, where they were placed in rough pine
boxes to be buried.
At the little village church at high mass
Father Laporte, the parish cure, brought
tears to the eyes Of his hearers by his refer
ence TO the calamity, and the entire village
went into mourning. Mrs. Colerette was
forty three years old. The children burned
were four girls and three boys. Besides his
family Farmer Colerette lost about $40O0.
The village is entirely French.