The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-08-10
DEATH OF YOUNG WOMAN .
FATAL ACCIDENT At ANDERSON COUNTY
HOSPITAL
FEARFUL LAMP EXPLOSION.
Miss MOffett, Nurse, and Hospital
Orderly Also Severely Burned, but
Will Recover

Anderson, Aug. Z. - Special: AS
the result of an explosion at the
Anderson County Hospital this af-
ternoon, Miss Mabel Carpenter
Thompson, the superintendent of
the institution, is dead, Miss Josie
Moffett, trained nurse, of Due
West, is badly burned. and Charles
Barnes, the hospitals negro order
ly, who held the kerosene lamp
when it exploded, is suffering with
an ugly cash in the head and pain
full burns on the arms, hands and
face
Miss Moffett and the negro order
ly are painfully injured and are con-
fined to their beds, but are expect
ed to be back at their work within
the next week or ten days. Miss
Moffett's injuries are on her hand
and arms.
How Explosion Occurred.
The explosion occurred when the
orderly was pointing out to the
plumber defect in the primer
kesosene lamp, that is used to heat
the sterlizing machine. The negro
pumped air into the lamp, to show
where it was leaking. Some screw
about the lamp must have been
loose, for the explosion followed,
.
Miss Thompson, who was looking
on. Practically all of the kerosene
was thrown on Miss Thompson, and
in seconds time she was one mass
of flames. Her face, head, arms
and chest were saturated with oil
and before assistance could reach
her, she was burned horribly. She
very probably swallowed some of
the gas and flames
Miss Moffett was attracted from
the adjoining room and she had
presence of mind enough to gath
er up the carpet off the floor and
throw it around Miss Thompson
who was thrown to the floor and
rolled over and over.
The chemical fire eXtinguishers
were brought into use and in a few
moments the blaze was eXtinguish.
ed. In the fight against the fire
Miss Moffett received her wounds
The negro orderly received his
wounds when the explosion occur
red, flying part of the lamp hit.
ting him on the head, and the
flames leaping to his face.
Native of Ohio.
Miss Thompson came to Anderson
from Dayton, Ohio, last Novembe
Her home is in Damascus, Ohio. and
her sister, at Salem, Mass, has
been notified. She has a brother
in New York, but his address is
unknown. Both of her parents are
dead. Since coming to Anderson
she endeared herself to all the peo-
pie with whom she has come in
connection. She made an ideal su-
perintendent, and under her SUI
pervision the hospital was getting
along very nicely. Her fatal acci-
dent has cast a gloom over the city.
She was about 80 years of age.
No funeral arrangements have
yet been made, but it is presumed
that her body will be sent to her
home at Damascus, Ohio, for bur
ial.
This horrible accident and sad Sc
quel is a terrible blow to the hos
pltal and to the people of the city
and county. Miss Thompson yes
terday received an offer of the su-
perintendency of large Northern
hospital, carrying a much larger sal
airy than she received here, but be-
cause she was contented with her
work here and because of the fact
that her work was highly satisfac-
tory and appreciated by the people
generally, she declined the offer
last night.