The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-18
HIS FACE COOKED.
Geo. II. Ward Horribly Burned
in a Mysterious Fire.
Was Reading His Bible Beside a
Coal Oil Lamp.
THE LAMP BURST
And Spattered Him With the
Blazing Oil.
He is Still Alive But May Not
Survive.

George H. Ward, who works in the To-
peka foundry and rooms at the residence
of Miss J. M. Brown at Ill West Tenth
street, was perhaps fatally burned at an
early hour Sunday morning. He is suf-
fering terribly and DR.. Menninger, who
attended him, says it is yet impossible to
tell whether or not the man will recover.
Besides being frightfully burned about
the hands and face, he inhaled the smoke
and flames and this makes the result of
his injuries uncertain.
No one is able to tell how the fire orig
mated but it is supposed to have been
caused by the explosion of the lamp in
Wards room. Mr.. Ward is very devout
and he has been in the habit of arising
early on Sunday mornings to study his
bible before breakfast. One of the 9TH
er roomers who passed his door at six
o'clock in the morning saw Ward sitting
by the table reading. He had been in
his room but short time when he saw
flames bursting from the windows in
Wards room.
The alarm was Immediately given and
when the fire department arrived the
members found it impossible to go up
the stairway ION account of the smoke
and heat. They broke into the upper
windows and soon had the fire. in the
room extinguished. a search for Ward
was then made and he was found on the
floor of an adjoining room in semi
conscious condition with his face burned
to a blister.
He was carried downstairs and revived
but was unable to tell how the fire origi.
mated. He said he remembered going
into the room where he was found and
breaking out q window with his elbow
because he felt that he would die unless
he got air but he remembered nothing
more.
1t is supposed that the lamp which was
sitting on he table near Ward exploded
and the force of the explosion stunned
him but left him able to leave the room.
The condition of the room indicates that
the ire originated from oil, for though
the fire department was there in a few
minutes after the alarm was given, every
thing'iu the room was destroyed.
Miss Brown who lives in the house
said: My opinion is that the fire was
caused by the explosion of the lamp,
though Mr.. Ward does not know how the
fire originated. He was probably stunned
by the explosion and may have been
struck by the lamp.
''Mr. Ward always gets up early on
Sunday morning to read his bible and
that was what he was doing when the
fire started. 1t must have been burning
quite awhile before it was discovered
because the whole interior of the room
is burned out Even the paper on the
wall is burned. 1t is surDrising how
Mr. Ward succeeded in getting out of
the room. l supposed he was still in the
room when the tire department arrived,
l told them that there was man in the
room.
Il tried twice to get up the stairs, but
the smoke and heat was so intense that
was nearly suffocated. Two or three
others tried to get up, but failed and the
firemen had TO break into the windows on
the second floor.
"When Mr.. Ward was found by the
firemen he was lying at full length on
the floor in front of "a window in another
room. He was not able to speak The
window showed that he had broken it,
and he said afterward that he broke it
with his elbow to get air before he was
entirely overcome.
The Injured man is conscious this
morning and he is suffering less. but no
one except the physician is allowed to
see him. His face is literally cooked
and the skin is entirely destroyed in
many places. 1t appears as if the burn
ing oil spattered over his face when the
explosion occurred.
A strange thing about the fire isAthat
Wards clothing were not burned nor
were his eyes injured His hair was
scorched, but not badly, and the only in
juries besides the internal burns, are on
his face and hands.
Mr.. Ward is an Odd Fellow and the
members of the order are taking care of
him and seeing that he wants for moth :
ing. He is now suffering more from his
internal burns than from those on his
hands and face.
The escape of the man from the burn
ing room is little short OF miraculous.
Stunned as he was by the force of the ex-
plosion he was probably revived sutfi =
ciently by the pain of his injuries TO
crawl from the room, The~door of the
room happened to be open and this ena-
bled him to escape. He must have lain
on the floor of the room for some time
while his face was blistering by the
heat.
Ward is about thirty years old and un-
married.
The house in which the fire occurred
seems to be fsted. Three times within a
year it has been damaged by fire. The
building is owned by Theodore Curran,
and is insured. The damage this time
is not more than 500.
Death of n RethaDv COLLEGE, Girl