The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-05
ENVELOPED BY FLAMES.
A Young Wife Terribly Burned
by C0al.Oil Lamp.
Mrs Mary Biancalana's Thrilling Experiences
and Fatal IDjuries-An Exciting Con-
hagration or Union Street.

Piercing screams and the spectacle of a
young woman with her clothing blazing
from cOllar-b band TO skirt-hem as she rushed
out of the house at 1919 Mason street at
traeted the attention of several persons at
$3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon. An in
slant later smoke and flame issued from
the three-stOTy frame house, out of which
she had emerged, aad some one turned in
an alarm from station ? at the corner of
Mason and Lombard streets, while others
ran TO her rescue.
The unfortunate woman was Mary Plan
calana, the 1S-year-old wife of NJ. Blanca
lana, a butcher, who occupied the middle
fiat Of the house. After leaving the blazing
structure she continued to scream for help,
and ran rapidly toward her husbands place
of business on Montgomery avenue, near
Greenwich street. block away from their
home.
AS Mrs. Bianealana sped past the Wash
ipgiop saloon on Greenwich street, four
men overlook her and threw her into the
water-trough. This extinguished her blaz-
Ing clothes, but she had already received
burns OF fatal nature. Then she was
wrapped 10 overcoatS and carried 10 the home
OF friends at s26R Montgomery avenue.
TERRIBLY BURNED.
There her frghIful suffering caused her
IN. and upon examination found that she
bad been so badly burned about the back
head and limbs that there was little hope
Tor her recovery. A priest was also sum
moned, and he administered the sacrament
of extreme JUNCTION.
In the meantime the fire had spread
throughout the three floors at 1919 Mason
street. The building was owned by l..
CapOro, the ground floor occupied by John
Oman and the third by the family of David
tn
move considerable of their personal prop
eEty into the street before the fire spread
throughout the building. The flames ex-
tended to the roof Of Y. Gamba's cottage IN
the rear, al g Valparaiso street, before they
were under control by the fremen.
Smoke and water also penetrated the
three-stoTy frame dwelling at 1921 and
1921 3 Mason street, occupied by the fam
lies If Lewis Villa, j. II. Calen aud Jo-
seph O.eva- Considerable excitement was
caused when a woman was carried out In
sheet from No. 192lla She turned out to
be Mrs. OleYa, an Invalid, who was re-
moved by friends who feared that the dwell
ing was In danger of being burned, The
residences adjoining No 1919, however,
were only damaged by smoke and water.
The interior OF No. 1919 was burned out
completely.
DAMAGED By FIRE,
Within an hour the flames were COM
pletely subdued. The loss TO the buildings
cred by insurance.
Al first many stories were circulated as to
the cause of the fire. Some said that a can
OF coal oil, which Mrs. Biancalana was
pouring Into a kitchen stove, exploded.
When the suffering woman was able to talk
feebly she explained the mystery. She said
she had just lighted the fire preparatory TO
cooking SUI per for herself and husband,
when a bunch of matches fell upon the
stove aud ,gnited. In attempting TO brush
the blazing matches from the stove she
threw them upon can of coal oil which
stood near by. In an instant there was an
explosion and she was enveloped in flame.
In her excitement she thought first of her
husband and was running to his place of
business for help when the men overlook
her aud placed her In the water-trUugh. as
stated.
Although the attending physician did
everything possible for the aifi cted woman,
her condition continued TO grow worse, and
at a late hour last night her life was de-
SPARED OF. Mrs. Biancalana was little more
than bride. having been married only
three months. Her husbands grief was
unconsoable and heart-renjing.