The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-07-18
LAD IN CRITICAL
CONDITION FROM
PHOSPHORUS FIRE
Picks Up Small Piece Of Material
Sealed In Jar In Alley; Breaks
Jar and Flames Burst Forth;
Reseuers Are Burned.
TAKEN TO HOUSE WHERE
MEDICAL AID IS GIVEN
Fire Goes Out When lad 10 Dipped
In Tub OF Water. But Starts
Again When Taken Out; First
Accident OF Kind Here.

The placing of a small quantity OF
discarded nhosphorous In one OF the
pockets of his trousers may cause
the death of Alvin Roberts. age a..
While playing In the alley between
Fourth and Third streets and Kan.
sas and Colorado avenues. the lad
found small quantity of the highly
combustiblc substance. (which had
been discarded by garage. Not
knowing of the danger. he placed
some of the substance In one OF hts
pockets. His clothing was soon
aflame.
Crying loudly. the lad rushed into
the Roark.Rogcrs blacksmith shop on
South Fourth street lie was picked
up and placed In the cooling tub and
apparently all the flames had been
extingulshed when the lad stepped
out OF the tub. Soon now flames
were appearing on the boys clothing
and body.
Flames Start Anew.
As the flames spread. the lad was
hurrledly disrobed by the proprie-
tors OF the blacksmith shop. Claud
Roark and Loren Rogers. and other
rescuers who had been attracted by
the loud screams. Several parts Of
the lads body were touched by the
substance which burst into small
flames as 1t dried from the dip into
the water.
The lad continued to suffer until
medical aid was summoned and the
boys body bathed in chemical
antedote. He was removed to the
II. II. Duncan home, northwest cor
ner of Fourth street and Colorado
avenue, where he Is being given
treatment.
Reports from the Duncan home
this morning were that the lad is In
a very critical condition and may !
die as a result of the burns. He
Is in a semi-delirious condition.
Although the burns are scattered
all over the boys body, the most
painful injuries are about the legs.
Lived In Wagon Yard.
The lads home, 1t is said, is in a
wagon yard at the corner of Second
street and Kansas avenue. He is
one of four children who are travel
ing through the country in wagon
with their father, II. j. Roberts.
The party arrived here several days
ago and since that time have been
living in the wagon yard, it is said.
The boy had wandered away to play
when he met with the accident Mon
day evening about 6:15 o'clock.
The boys condition is so serious
that nurse is at his bedside all
the time. Application for assistance
and hospital care has been made to
the Chickasha United Charities.
Messers Roark and Rogers sustain
ed painful burns to their hands
while assisting in rescuing the child
Their burns are not serious.
The accident baffled the workers
who fought to check the flames AS
fast as one bit of fire could be
stopped more would burst forth at
another place. 1t Is the first acct
dent of this nature ever recorded in
the history of the city, it is said.
The PHOSPHORUS was sealed tight
in a glass jar when the boy found
the substance, it is said He broke
the jar and placed small quantity
of the contents in one of his pockets.
This was the act that may cause
his death.
Phosphorus is highly inflamma-
BILE substance which does not require
friction to turn into flames. 1t is
said to be harmless as long as 1t is
wet, but dry is very dangerous ir-
ritant. 1t is used in repairing or
overhauling certain automobile bat
1