Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-10-19
11-YEAR- -OLD GIRL
Victim Of fire


rending tragedies that has ever taken
place in Danville occurred Saturday
afternoon, when the clothing of little
Lizzie McVey, the eleven year old
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Patrick Nc
Vey, Ash street, took fire, the last
shred nearly burning from her body,
the injuries inflicted being of such
serious nature that death resulted
about twelve hours later.
The terrible occurrence took place
shortly after one O'Clock. The family
of Harry Hancock, who resided n coup
le of doors from the McVey home, were
moving and some papers, which had
lain under the carpet, had been carried
out into the back yard and set on fire.
The fire, it was supposed, had burned
out and the several women who were
assisting at the moving were busy in
the house, when they were startled by
loud and agonized screams in the back
yard while nearly at the same moment
Margaret Powers and Cora Scott, two
little girls playing in the rear, came
flying front crying that Lizzie McVey
was on fire. Mrs. Hancock, Mrs. Eu
gene Harder, and Mrs. George f. Boud-
man, followed by Ralph Fisher, who
was hauling the goods, instinctively
rushed into the back yard to save the
child.
A spectacle followed that will haunt
them to their dying days. The child
was already pillar of flame and,
frantic with pain and terror, could not
be controlled loug enough to make the
efforts to extinguish the fire of any
| avail. While Ralph Fisher, regardless
of his own safety tried to tear the
clothing off the child, Mrs. Harder and
Mrs Hancock seized rug with the
intention of smothering ont the fire,
but before thev could use it the child
broke loose from Mr. Fisher and made
dash for Mrs Boudman. Every one
was in peril of being set on fire by the
frantic child, who screaming and beat
ing off the flames that darted up
around her face dashed first in one
direction and then i'll another. Mrs.
Boudman barely escaped coming in
contact with the burning child, when
Mr.. Fisher, assisted by Wallace Scott,
who by this time had nrriv d. again
caught the child and tore from her
body the remnant of clothing that still
i,,a1 on har m tha
alton both men were burned about the
hands, Mr.. Fisher so badly that he was
unable to continue at work.
The child herself was frightful OBJ
ject Her hair and her eyebrows were
burned from her head. Her face and
her lips were shockingly burned and
the blood oozed from her mouth. Her
one limb from her hip to her knee was
burned raw. while on her entire body
from her knees to the top of her head
the SIX in was burned off in large spots.
| Notwithstanding SHE did not lose con-
| scousness.
| grocery, n square OF so away, and call.
ed DR.. Paules by telephone. Pending
the physician arrival the child bore
her awful agony in Il way that was re-
markable. Her little body with it's
awful tortures presented picture that
melted the stoutest heart, while the
nauseating odor of burned flesh added
to the horror of the situation.
81,
usual remedies in such cases were ap-
piled. The body was wrapped i'll cot
ton, which excluded the air and
brought some relief The child SEEM
ed to rest fairly easily Saturday even
ing, but while the doctor did what he
could to assure the family he could
not lose sight of the fact that the in
iuries were of very grave sort. The
mouth was still bleeding and the
amount of injury sustained internally
could not be fully ascertained. In cases
of that kind. even when the patient
promises to recover from the immedi-
ate effect of the burning, it frequent
ly happens that stomach derange-
ment follows that results in death.
Iu the case of little Lizzie McVey
the result did not long hang i'll the
balance. Her injury as can easily be
imagined was of the very gravest sort.
Death proved kindly and came to hel
, re ief shortly after midnight.
How the little girl happened to take
, ire is not exactly known. With the
other two little girls both smaller than
herself, it would seem, she was playing
in the back yard of the residence be
= ing vacated. Whether she revived til,
: fame and continued to feed it will
f paper aud thus took fire, or in playing
Y accidentally came in contact with TIN
: smouldering embers no one seems t.
$ know. 1t is very sad affair. Lizzi
i was bright and lovable child am
g the stricken parents have the deepes
h sympathy in this the hour of their sa
v trial and bereavement.
n --------
l. EIysburg Couple Welded.
Pa;,hanhaph anI Simp