The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-17
DEADLY FLAMES.
Mother and Son Are Fright
fully Burned Chances of
Recovery Slight,

Mrs. Bridget McPartlin and her son,
Hugh McPartlin, were frightfully
burned yesterday afternoon about 8
O'Clock, at the family home, Canal
street.
Mrs. 4IcPartlin was searching for
bed bugs and had a bottle of insect
exterminator, which was largely ben
zine, in one hand and lighted lamp
! in the other.
She dropped the bottle on the floor
and stopped to pick it up. In doing
so she got the lamp too near the
fumes of benzine, and they blazed up.
| Her dress was ignited and in the eX-
lcitement she dropped the lamp and
threw herself into bed trying to eX-
tinguish the flames.
Her son Hugh heard the noise and
ran to assist his mother, and in the
meantime the bed clothes had become
a mass Of fame. With an utter dis
regard for all danger he rushed in and
caught his mother in his arms, but
was forced to drop her, as his own
clothes caught fire and greatly excited
| he ran from his home on to Front
street.
Mrs. McPartlin arose, her hair and
dress all afiame, walked to the pantry,
where she turned on the water full
force and made a brave attempt to
quench the fire.
At the City Hospital, where she was
taken in the police ambulance, it is
feared she will never recover, and her
sons chances are not considered very
| favorable, although he did not suffer
as much from burns as his mother.
| When Mrs. McPartlin started for the
pantry she realized that the flames
Ewere getting the best of her, and she
called loudly for help. NJ. p. O'Con-
nor son of d. NJ. O'ConnOr, who owns
the house, was on the floor above and
/ hearing the cries, ran down stairs He
was the first person to enter the house
latter the accident happened, and for
an instant was Mortified TO see Mrs
! McPartlin standing before the sink, a
mass of flames
| Her hair was burned almost to the
| scalp and her dress was almost burned
| from the body. Mr.. O'COnuor rushed toI
| the woman and tore the burning gar
nents from her body Several of the
| tenants in the building hurried tc the
| tenement and assisted in the work
| They wrapped the injured woman in a
| blanket and carried her to an adjoining
| tenement where she was placed on a
| bed.
! In the meantime her son Hugh had
| rushed from the house with his clothes
| afire calling for help. He got as far as
| the curbing in front of 229 Front street
| and fell exhausted to the pavement \ /
! crowd gathered and officer Fred G.
! Eaton, who was on Canal street
! rushed to the corner and found Nc
! Partland lying in his helpless condition.
/ With the assistance Of some of the
| by-standers he tore the clothes from
! the injured man and Immediately tele-
/ phOned police headquarters for the am
| bulance.
! 1t was some time before the arrival
| Of the ambulance and McPartlins s1f-
! ferings on the sidewalk were terrible
! Upon arrival Of the ambulance he was
| carefully wrapped in a blanket and
! taken 10 the city hospital.
! In the excitement a fire alarm was
| sent in from box So at Washington
| square and the fire department made
/ quick response. Chief Vaughn ar
/ rived before the police ambulance and
! s soon as he saw McPartlin on the
! sidewalk he jumped from his team and
! ordered Driver McHinuOn to get a dec
/ TOT Immediately. McKinnon drove tol
/ Trumbull square and found Dr.. Joseph
! H. Kelley, and returned with him to
/ the scene of the accident. No one on
! the sidewalk knew that Mrs. McPart-
/ lin was up stairs suffering worse than
! her son, and it was not until Officer
/ Eaton entered the house that heI
3 LrdLlEl OF Ief INJURIES
The ambulance had driven away in
/ the meantime and Officer Eaton again
! telephoned headquarters. The emcr-
| gency police patrol, which can bel
/ transformed into an ambulance at a
! moments notice, was sent out and the
! woman was taken to the h0sDital
] Hugh McPartlin was able to talk short
/ ly after he reached the hospital and
/ told the story of the affair to the doc
/ tors. They think that he has chances
| for recovery. but his mothers condition
1 gives little hope
| While waiting for the removal of the
| injured woman Mr.. O'COnuor turned
! his attention to the flames which had
| communicated with the woodwork in
! the room. His efforts were reinforced
/ upon the arrival of the fire department
| and the contents Of several hand chem
/ icals We're turned on the fire with good
| effect.
/ In addition to her son, Mrs. McPart-
/ lin has one daughter Catherine, who isl
| employed as waitress in Stockwell's 81
| restaurant 221 Front street. She heard
/ the cries of her brother as he lay on
/ the sidewalk, and rushed out to learn
| the cause of his condition. Some one
| told her that her mother was almost
| burned TO death, and at the sight of
her brother lying on the sidewalk
writing in agony, she tainted away.
Last night her condition was so bad
that her friends feared to tell her Of
/ the extent of her mothers injuries.
At . o'clock this morning, Mrs. Nc
Partlin's condition had not changed.
| Her son was resting mora comfortably.
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