The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-17
MRS. LAYC0CK WAS
FATALLY BURNED
Explosion OF Gasoleue Wrapped Her in
Flames at Her Home.
TAKEN TO LACKAWANNA HOSPITAL
She fingered Until $50 O'Clock Last
Night When Death Ended Her Snf"
fcrings- olenc Also Set Fire to
the Building But the Fircmcn Snc-
cccded in Extinguishing the Flames
Before Great Damage Was Done.

Mrs Mahalia Laycock, aged 60 years,
died at $50 o'clock last night at :he
Lackawanna hospital from burns she
sustained in the fire yesterday after
noon at the Hazlett building, 81, 3l3
and 3l5 Mulberry street The woman
was burned from head to foot, hardly
a particle of flesh escaping the flames.
Her nose and cheeks were deeply eaten
and the flesh ON the lower limbs was
crlsped.
The fire. which was not otherwise dis
astruus, started shortly before o'clock
in the basement of the building. IT was
caused by the explosion of a quantity
of easolene. Mrs. LaycOck kept
boarding house ia the western side of
the building ana was down in the base
ment kitchen yesterday afternoon AT
noon she had purchased five gallons of
gasolene at Bailey's store on Penn ave.
hue. and this was afterwards poured
into an earthen jar The jar was placed
under the kitchen sink,
HEAT CAUSED EXPLOSION.
In this kitchen there is large stove
and the furnace which heats the build
ing is also built in one of the walls of
the kitchen. The heat of both made
the temperature of the room very high
and caused the explosion of the gaso-
lene Mrs. Laycock happened to walk
into the kitchen just at the time of
the explosion and before she could turn
the lighted gasolene had spread all
about her. The flames ignited her cloth
| ing and she rushed outside and fell to
the ground screaming for help. \ num-
| Der of men passing went to the assist
anCe of the sufferer and beat out the
"a ,,,,1 Oh,
was takenfto the Lackawanna hospital.
Miss Lena Laycock her daughter,
| was the only person in the basement at
the time. She heard the explosion fol-
| lowed by hel mothers scream and she
rushed out side by another door. An
alarm was sent in from box 16, corner
of Vine street and Penn avenue, to
which all the central city companies
responded. The flames starting from
| the basement had an easy opening into
! the doors above by way Of a stair case
leading directly to the top floor. The
| work of the ilremen was unusually well
! performed. The flames though reach
| ing like red serpent through the en-
| tire building We're controlled in less
| than an houI after the alarm.
DAMAGE TO BUILDING.
| Inc damage Will DfoDuDly rcaCn Sl,OUO,
fully covered by insurance. w. IF. Haz-
lett owns the property.
| There was several exciting incidents
! of the fire. W. h. HaGlett, in going
| through the house, had his hair, mus
tache and eyebrows burned one OF the
boarders in making an effort to save his
| clothes in the top floor was nearly
smothered with the smoke going VI
| the staircase as ne came down.
After Mrs. LayCOCk was taken to the
| hospital she suffered terrible pain from
her injuries The members of her fam
lily We're all gathered about her bedside.
| The end was expected and grief had
taken the place of hope and fear. She
died in Intense suffering. the body was
removed to the residence Of w. II. HaZ-
| let, who Is a brother of the deceased.
| The funeral has not been arranged yet
and will De announced later Mrs Lay
cock was widow. She was married
| twice and is survived by the following
children Mrs. Fred Smith, Mrs. Major
Morgan, Charles H. HaZlett, Lena Lay
cock, all Of this city, and Howard Lay
| cock, of Wyoming.