The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-23
BURNED BY COAL OIL.
Horrible Injuries Received by
q Poor Woman.
HER HUSBAND IS BADLY HURT.
While Attempting 70 Kindle Fire, the
OH Can ENTHUSIASTICALLY
Fatal Result.

Mrs. Johanna Staff, who, with her hus-
band, Ole staff, and two daughters, lives
at No. lis John street, North Seattle, was
horribly and in all probability fatally
burned yesterday afternoon by the ex-
plosion Of coal oil can. The woman at
tempted to start fire in . kitchen stove
when the oil ignited; an explosion fol-
lowed, the room was filled by . sheet OF
fame, and the terrified woman. with her
clothes all on fire, ran from the house to
the street. She got half way across the
street before she was caught by her hus-
band. AS she ran her shoes came OF, and
her dress and skirts dropped off or they
burned, and just as her husband caught
her, with Q scream of agony, she sank to
the ground, on fire from head to foot.
Startled by hearing the cries Of pain sew
eral men came up on the run and assisted
the frantic husband to put out the flames
and tear the burning clothing from the
woman second later another man
came up with wet quilt and Mrs. Stat
was wrapped in it.
Willing hands carried the injured
woman TO the residence of Mr.. Arthur
Walkley, at l26 Ash street, corner OF
John. cdr. Frank Brooks was called and
did all he could to dress the terrible burns
and to ease the pain, but he said he could
not hope for the woman's recovery. Over
half of her body is blackened and burned.
Mrs. Staff left bed Of sickness only three
days ago, and Dr. Brooks is of the opinion
that her strength will not hold out.
Ole Staff never once thought Of himself
while trying to save his wife, and he, too,
is now confined to bed with burns exceed
ingly painful, but not necessarily fatal.
He is badly burned about the face and
arms, and his hands are literally charred.
He was taken to the home Of Mr.. G. +.
Jones and was attended by DR.. Creighton.
The family are Norwegian. They came
to Seattle from Norway year and half
ago, since which time staff has been en-
ployed in Buchanan 4 Sons car shops.
Stats two daughters, aged 8 and Ii years,
respectively, have been attending school.
A few months ago the family moved 10
No. lis John street, building formerly
occupied by the Seattle dye works, now
defunct. A few weeks ago Mrs. staff took
sick with fever and, her husband being
without means, charitable neighbors
nursed her until Friday last, when she had
sufficiently recovered to move about. Yes
terday afternoon being warm and pleas
ant, Mrs. Staff, her husband and two chill
dren took walk, returning homo about
80 o'clock.
Mrs. Staff, assisted by her daughters,
started to prepare dinner. Both OF the
little girls were out of the room when the
coal oil can exploded and Mr.. Staff was
standing on the sidewalk in front of the
house when his wife, all ablaze, rushed by
him.
The family has neither friends nor
money, and they are being cared for by
kind-hearted neighbors.
Although the building took fire, engine
No. 3 responded to the alarm and put out
the blaze. The damage to the dwelling IL
slight.
A horse on engine No. 2 became winded
on Front street, near Vine. in running to
the fire, and dropped down. He was
dragged over q rod before the engine
stopped, but as soon as he was unhitched
and regained his wind he got up and was
found to be uninjured.