The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-05-09
WOMAN DIES IN FLAMES
FIRE CAUSE OF TRAGEDY ON
FARM NEAR FAlRMONT
YOUNG wife IS VICTIM
Oil Can Exploded and Blaze
Swept Over Mrs. Theodore
Hines Instantly

Fairmont, April 30.-Mrs. Theodore
Hines, living nine miles acrth of
Fairmont, was burned to death late
Monday, when she attempted to light
the kitchen fire with kerosene. The
shocking tragedy occurred about five
o'clock in the afternoon. Mrs. Hines
was alone in the home, her husband
and his father, James Hines, being at
work in the field some distance away.
Preparatory to getting supper, Mrs.
Hines placed some wood in the stove
and then saturated it with gasoline
from large can. 1t is thought there
must have been some live Goals that
ignited the OIL
The can exploded. blowing the bot
tom out of it and throwing the blaz-
ing oil over Mrs. Hines, who was COW
cred from head to foot with flames.
Her husband and father in law ran
to the house when they heard. the
explosion, but Mrs. Hines was dead
when they got there. Her face.
hands and body were burned almost
to the bone.
Kitchen Window Blown Out.
The explosion was of such force
that it blew out a window of the
kitchen and set the room afire in a
number of places. The father and
son, seeing that nothing could be
done for Mrs. Hines, hastily got
buckets and fought the flames until
they were extinguished.
81 don't see how they ever saved
the house." said Coroner Homer
Jones, who Investigated the death.
THE kitchen was afire in half a doz-
en- places"
MIR. Jones said that the oil can
held about three gallons. 1t was
found lying beside the body with the
bottom blown out of it. 1t evidently
was nearly full at the time of the
explosion.
The coroner stated that he thought
Mrs. Hines might have been killed
she did not suffer greatly. The men
reached her in a few minutes but
life was extinct Her clothing was
still afire.
Was Bride Of Two Years.
Mrs. Hines was twenty-fiv years
old. In June the couple would have
been married two years. There are
no children.
Before her marriage, Mrs. Hines
was a school teacher and taught in
Pleasant Prairie and other districts.
She was married just before her
husband left for overseas. He has
been back but short time. The
James Hines farm, where the TRACE
l,, Sc oh of
the Elm Creek bridge, on the Tru-
man road.
Mrs. Hines was the daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. F. Sullivan, a well
! known family living near Quicken.
| She was popular and highly re-
spected young woman both at Guck-
cen and in the neighborhood where
she lived after her marriage. The
Sentinel extends sincerest sympathy
and condolences to the bereaved
husband and parents.
Six Children Burned.
United Press Dispatch.I
Chelsea, Oklahoma, April 30.-Six
children and four adults were
! burned to death last night follow
: ing the explosion of coal oil when
Thomas Ballard attempted to
start fire with kerosene. Bal
F, lard was burned to death, his wife,
I Mrs. Charles Redona and her three
/ children. the three Ballard children
and G. w. Ballard, aged father. all
also succumbed in the flames. Some
OF the remains were found in their
beds while others were near the
doors, showing vain attempt to
/, struggle away to safety.