Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-11
DEATH BY FIRE.
CeIenire MORN Fatally
Burned, Saturday.
kindled Fire With Kerosene,
and Can Exploded.
Unfortunate Girl Taken to City Hospi-
tai, Where Death Followed, Sunday
Morning-Leon Gayon Badly Burned.
in Attempting to Rescue Girl.

A tenement house, situated on Lau-
rel street and owned by F. w. Cole,
was the scene, Saturday forenoon, of a
tragedy, in which Il young girl of but
IL years was shockingly burned and
died at the City hospital at 10 o'clock,
Sunday morning.
The scene of the tragedy is a story
ard a half house on the north side Of
the street, the number being %. The
house is Il double tenement the lower
tenement being occupied by Leon Gag
non and the upper by Paul Liable. Mr..
I4abbe's household consisted of himself,
Wife and child Of two and one-half
years, ana also his Wife'S sister, Miss
'clenire NORM. Mrs. Liable works in
the Edwards mills and her husband is
employed in Watervile. Miss NORM
lived with them and looked after the
ba by besides attending to the house
hold duties.
Miss NORM was not feeling well, Sat
uTday, ana was in bed, but soon after
II O'Clock she arose and went to the
kitchen to start the fire, preparatory to
getting dinner. 1t is not known just
what happened, as she was alone, with
the exception of the baby, which was
on the bed, but from discoveries made
after the fire. she undoubtedly UNDER
took to hasten the fire by pouring ker-
oScne upon it from the can and the fire
isnitod the oil in the can, causing it to
explode. and covering her with blazing
oil from head to foot. This theory was
suhstantiat"d by the finding of the can
in the house, after the fire had been eX-
tinguishcd. with the bottom blown out,
and otherwise showing evidences of an
explosion.
Mr. Gagnon. who was sleeping in a
room below, was awakened by the girlS
agoniZrd screams and rushed up the
St.,irs to ascertain the cause of the
trouble AS he entered the room where
the girl was, she threw herself into his
arms, her garments in flames and be-
fore he could free himself in order to
assist her he was badly burned on the
hands and his moustache, eyebrows ana
hair We're singed. AS quickly as he
could he got water and threw it on the
terrified girl ard drowned out the
flames. but not before she was terribly
burned all over her body.
1t happened that the street crew were
working in front of the house and on
herring the screams, two of the MEM
bers, Patrick Fitzgerald and T.. Il. Fish
or, ran in and wrapping tn" girl in Il
Quilt or blanket carried her to the res
| idcncc Of VIM. Kane. near by. Mr.. Gag
non had by this time taken the baby in
his arms and carried it to place of
safety. Surgical aid was summoned ana
Drs. Harris. campbell and Moore re
spondcd and after everything possible
had lr,r done to lessen the girls Suf-
fcrngs. she was placed in RUNNERS
ambulance and taken to the city hos
rtal.
Me%awhilC the fire department had
loon summoned 10y an alarm from box
| - near the railroad bridge. the whistle
| sounding at Ills. The fire proved to be
| a small affair. being confined to the Vi
| cnitv Of the stove and was quickly cX-
iingushci, with Il loss of perhaps so
| To the nous" which is covered by inSur-
nncr in th.. agencies of Charles :.
| Downing x Son, and Macomber Farr
| 4 Written. The occupants Of the house
| may suffer Z slight loss by water ana
| are without insurance. The about
| sounded at 11.4i.