The Nome nugget., 1919-12-13
COUNCIL LADY VICTIM OF
 SHOCKING ACCIDENT

Pfaffle. leading Council merchant and
 business man, died Saturday at her home in Council City. victim of one of the most shocking accidents occur ling in this district in years. The Iunfortunate lady met her mortal end as Il result of burns sustained by the upsetting of an alcohol lamp while Icurling her hair preparatory to at ltending an evening social function at lthe home of friends. The acciden;
 occurred on the evening of December
 4th. almost on the eve of the couples
 first wedding anniversary, their mar riage having occurred December 16. I191s.
 l Owing to the long distance tele- phone lines being out or order, the first news of the tragedy did not reach Nome until Wednesday of the present
 week: on which day Ed. Pfaffle. hus
 band of the deceased, arrived from Council with the body, accompanied
 by two native mushers who assisted
 him in bringing the remains here.
 Details of the sad fatality as related
 to the Nugget by the grief stricken husband are as follows: Mrs. Pfaffle
 was engaged in dressing preparatory
 to spending the evening in company
 with MT. Pfaffle at the home of Mir. land Mrs. Fred Nicholson. The day
 was the wedding anniversary of the
 latter couple. While seated at her
 dressing table heating curling iron over an alcohol heater of the type
 known as canned heat" Mrs. Pfaffle. in some manner overturned the blaz- ling contents of the can into her lap. pariafine in the container, instantly spread over the light gown she was | wearing, soaking throughs to her un- der garments and severely burning the flesh beneath. Almost before she could cry out, the flames had seized upon the light fabric of her dress and was reaching upward for her face and |,hair. After a momentary ineffcctuai attempt to stamp out the blaze with l her hands, both of which were severe ly burned in the effort, the unfortun ate woman covered her face with her hands and fled to the lower floor. Mir. Pfaffle, was all oblivious of the dread full tragedy until his wife burst into view surrounded by q sheet of flame. Being fortunately endowed with an l unavoidable disposition. the husband instantly seized an automatic liquid
 fire extinguisher and turned the spray on the blazing form of his wife as she Approached. The fire was extinguish- ! ed in another moment or two as q re- suit of the quenching application. Despite her injuries, Mrs. Pfaffle's first thought when her own danger was relieved was for the safety of the house and she immediately called to him to put out the fire upstairs. 'T am all right" she said but the room is on fire" Mir. Pfaffle hurried to the upper floor and found the room in which the accident occurred in a blaze, apparently from flaming frag-' ments dropping from his wife's gar ments as she fled. Luckily it requir ed only a few moments to extinguish the blaze with the fire extinguisher and scarcely five minutes elaspsed be- fore he returned to his wife. Fossil bly, owing to the fright or remark able quality of fortitude. Mrs. Pfaffle was apparently not suffering great pain and made light of her injuries while her husband was placing her in bed. She said her hands were burn ed but otherwise she was all right" Dr.. Ramsay was hastily summoned and, with the assistance of Mrs. w. well known in Nome. did all that was possible for the unfortunate lady. On examination it was found that the burns, altho extensive, were not of
 markedly fatal character. being con-
 fined largely to the arms and lower limbs.
 Owing to the protection offered by her corset. the middle and upper por- tions of her body were scarcely touch ed by tho flames. Her face was also practically uninjured and much of her hair still remained. Altho grievously recovery seemed good at first. but later it was found she could retain no |nourishment whatever. Whether this
 was due to internal burns caused by
 inhaling the flame. or by the shock Is ,&nsr