Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-05
AW0MAN FATALLY BURNED
Mrs. Sarah Davis Frlghtfully Hurt While
Hurrylng a Fire With Oil.
ACCIDENT THURSDAY MORNING
Occurred on French Street
Near Thirteenth.
VICTIM DIED AT DELAWARE HOSPITAL

Thursday morning added another 10
the list of victims OF coal oil
explosions, 10 the person of Mrs. Sarah
Davis, aged &c years, wife of Charles
L. Davis, painter, who resides at No.
1881 French street. Her SIM, Leonard
Davis, aged 20 years was also severely
hurned in attempting to fxtinguish the
flames, which enveloped his mother.
About . o'clock a. m. the neigh
bors of the Davis family were aroused
by the sound OF an explosion, which one
man described as like gun, followed
by u scream. A few moments later Mrs.
Davis was found near the foot of the
stairs leading TO the second floor OF the
house. Her clothing was mass OF
flames, and she had rushed to that SPOT
from the Kitchen to call to her husband
and Hon upstairs that she was on ire.
Then abs had dropped into chair,
which now shows evidences of the fire
In the burned seat and charred hack.
The door near which abe sat was also
hlaCkened. Her son, Leonard, was the
first to reach her Rushing down
stairs in hisnight clothes he buried to
relieve Der and was severely Burned
upon his bands and legs and one foot.
Her husbnnd also came to the rescue
and with carpets and table spread the
tiames were extinguished, but not be-
fore the poor woman's clothing bad
bsen practically burned from her body.
MIR. Davis was burned on the hands in
his efforts,
Meanwhile smoke was arising from
the kitchen, where burning coal oil was
eating its way, hut the fire was put
out before it had made much Roadway.
Samuel ChRdwicE, who is connected
With the Fire Department, sent a still
alarm to the Phoenix Fire Co. aud to
the Delaware Co.. and both responded.
After the flames which enveloped
| Mrs. Davis had been distinguished she
| gave directions to the neighbors in find
| Ing The various articles about the
house which her injuries demanded,
ana altogether displayed great bravery.
DIR. James ii. Morgan, who was sum
moued, saw thst her condition was very
critical, as she had inhaled the flames
| and was badly burned, and directed
that she be taken to the Delaware Hos
| pital. She was taken thsre 10 the
patrol wagon. The son remains at
home under DR.. Morgan's attention.
Although his injuries are sever his re-
covery is probably only matter OF
| time.
The cause OF the explosion is largely
matter OF surmiss, but every indica-
tion is that Mrs Davis, who had been
kneading bread, was attempting to
hurry wood fire by the use Of coal
oil, She had probably poured the oil
from glass can into the stove and
while thus engaged the explosion had
been caused by the flame following the
stream Of oil into the can. The early
arrivals upon the scene found the floor
strewed with thousand pieces OF glass
rs a result OF the explosion, and Mrs.
Davis was bleeding from wounds traced
to the flying glass. According to an.
other statement she was not in the
kitchen at the time of the explosion,
but went there upon hearing it and Was
then met by the flames which set bel
clothes afire. But that explanation il
not considered sufficient to account fol
all her injuries.
At the hospital no hope was given oil
the woman's recovery from the first
Too much of her body had felt the
flames to permit Of her recovery from
the effects OF the shock. She had in
hailed the flames also, which added t.
the serious nature Of her INJURIES
Finding how poorly she was her nus
band took their son, who had beer
severely burned, to her bedside between
10 and IL o'clock She died about tn,
latter hour. Deputy Coroner Chande
removed the body to the Davis home
| No 133l Franph STRAIT