The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1919-01-03
GASOLINE EXPLOSION
KILLS FIVE PEOPLE.
Horrible Accident Near
Catlettsburg at Gas
Company's Pant.
THE VICTIMS.

MRS. NJ. A. WALKER aged 40
years.
HATTIE ARMSTRONG, aged IA.
SANFORD ARMSTRONG, aged t2.
STELLA A. HoLLINsWoRTH, aged
eleven.
LOUIS HoLLlNswoRTH, aged
Eight.
The Hollinsworth children are chill
dren Of L. p. Hoilinoworth, foreman
OF tho gasoline plant Of the United
Gas Fuel Company located above
two and half miles above catlstts.
burg on the Kentucky side Of the
Big Sandy River. The other two
children are children Of ChOs. Arm
strong. neighbor Of the Holins-
worth family. Mrs. NJ, A. Walker
lived up the hollow from the scene
OF the oonflasration.
One woman an dfonr children wtre
burned to death Monday evening nedr
Catlettsburg and tho home az which
they were was destroyed by flames
The parents OF two OF the childrca
were In tho house al the time the.
fire started M from the effects Of
Influenza and are In serious con-
dition because OF the shock ana the
exposure.
Just how the fire started IS n mys.
terry and Mr., and Mrs, Ii r Hollins-
worth two OF whose children were
cremated and whose house was Dc
atroyed by this fire are not able to-
be questioned concerning The affair
and Mrs. Walker and the children
were so badly burned that they were
cead. or almost Hp' wiiea neighborl
reached tho accne OF one OF the
worst tragedies in the history of Boyd
county.
Covered With Gasoline Fumes.
Tho house which wa burned was
small cottage which stood about
one hundred an dirty feet from the
railroad siding on which was stand
ing a gasoline tank car which was
being filled from the gasoline man
fResaring plant OF the United Gas Fuel
Company near There were two men
engaged In supervising the filling the
tank but they seemed unable 10 throw
any light nhow the fire started. Ap
parently, however the children aud
Mrs Walker were on the porch of the
from the gasoline when their clothing
cnught flro. burning them 40 they
were almost unrecognlzhbie. Mr., and
Mrs. Honiugsworth being Indoors
were not affected by the gasoline
fumes and wero unable to make their
escape from the burning house with
out burns. The mental and physical
nhock which they sustained, however,
critically m. especially Mrs Hollings-
worth, who was nearing maternity,
Neishbors Helpless
Neighbors who rushed to the scene
were unable 10 give any assistance In
saving the house owing 70 the extreme
heat and the rapidlty with which the
flames spread
Officials OF the Gas Company while
In the dark as TO tho true cause OF
the tragedy arc OF the opinion that the
fire originated 1 nor near tho house
from gasoline fumes as the gasoline
tank cid not explode and the fire on II
wa sconfined TO the top OF the dome
OF the tank.
Physicians from Ashland. Catlettss
burg. Huntington and Kenovn were
hastily summoned by neighbors OF the
stricken families as soon as II was
realized what had happened. The re-
mains OF Mrs. Walker and the iiol-
iingsworth and Armstrong children
were burned beyond recognition. The
Armstrong children were at the Hol-
llngsworth home playing nt the time
they met their death and Mrs Wal
ker was there assisting In the care
OF the family, the father an dfnother or
which were too III to do 30 themselv-
es.
The Hollngswort famil ymoved 10
Boyd county from Carter county sev-
eral years ago.
The Armstrong family resided in
Catlettsburg.
II is believed that Mrs. Walker met
her death while trying to save tho
lives OF her young charges ASH
land Independent.