The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-04-25
Awful Fate of Family Entrap-
ped in Building Cried
For Help
HEROIC EFFORT Of THE FRANTIC
HUSBAND TO save LOVED ONES
Cut on in Room to Which They Had
Fled for Safety, While Husband and
Father Was Fighting for Means of
Reaching Safety.

Egeland. N. D., April 25-Caught in
"a IRE trap from which they we're un-
able to escape, Mrs. G. A. Kruger and
daughters, Lucille, aged s and Bea-
trice, aged 2, were burned to death
In this town Saturday night at 1890
o'clock. Mr.. Kruger, although he
made heroic attempts at rescuing his
wife and children, was only rewarded
for his efforts by serious burns.
The 500 railroad depot was the
scene of the terrible affair, the fire
having its origin from an unknown
cause on the first foor Mr.. Kruger,
who is the local agent of the COM
pany. resided with his family on the
second floor, and was aroused short
ly after IL o'clock by smoke and the
cracking of flames below.
Flames Separated Them
Waking his wife and two children,
he made efforts to get them out,
bringing all into room from which
they might escape by crawling through
window. Leaving the three in the
center Of the smoke filed room, he
made his way to the window and
opened it, and just at that moment
the hot flames burst forth and drove
him out through the window, cut
ting OF all chance Of escape for Mrs.
Kruger and the two little girls.
Kruger, almost frantic at the
thought that his loved ones were per-
ishtng, and driven almost to madness
by their pitiful screams and calls for
help as the flames closed in on them,
made several attempts to fight his
way back into the burning building
to rescue them, but was unable to do
so.
Cries for Help Die Out ~
Soon the eat1re. building was afiunse
and the cries of the entrapped woman
and her two little ones ceased. They
had been caught in the room in which
they had sought safety, only to meet
horrible death as a prey of the hun
igry flames.
| Before Kruger had made his last
effort to again get into the building
that was being rapidly consumed, a
general alarm was given about the city
and many came to the scene of the
tragedy. The fire was so far advanced
that there was no hope at stopping it.,
all attention being given Immediately
to the recovery of the bodies.
Mr.. Kruger, in the meantime, had
become frantic with grief over the
! terrible death that had been met by
his family. He himself, suffered very
painful burns about the body.
Bodies Terribly Charred
1t was nearly three hours after
the burning Of the three people oc-
CURED that their bodies were found,
The discovery was made Sunday
morning at o'clock. the remains be-
Ing burned almost beyond any SEM
blance of human beings.
This morning funeral services were
held in the Presbyterian church, ev-
cry business place in the city being
closed. 1t has been such a sad
shock to the community that everyone
has been thrown into deepest mourn
ing and to the grief stricken father
and husband who saw his loved ones
burn to death, almost before his eyes,
the tenderest sympathy has been ex-
tended.
Rev. Darrison off1ciated at the fu-
neral services held here over the
three bodies. The church edifice was
filled to capacity, it being one of the
saddest scenes that has ever been en-
acted in this section. This afternoon
the remains were shipped to Cyrus,
Minn., Mrs. kruger's former home,
where the burial will take place.
! Mr. Kruger has been the local agent
of the 500 railroad four years, or ever