The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-23
PROPERTY LOSS
RUNS 100000
Investigation Into Fire BY Chief
Benjamin Bangerter
WHAT PROBERS FOUND
Metal Tank Evidently Let Go;
Finding Of Dead Body After
Removing Debris

wards OF S1UO,UUU duu one uSdIu was
the result of a MONDAY fire yester-
day when the ]. p. Durenberger
building, 52S South Front street,
was destroyed by fire and the owner
met his death in the flames in the
basement, where he was cut on
from escape by the explosion Of a
metal tank partly filed with ma
chine oil.
It was not until $50 last evening
that the body was recovered by fire.
men and others who worked as
rapidly as possible to remove the
debris from the first floor which had
fallen into the basement. At that
hour, Mr.. Durenberger's body was
found in a crouching position per-
haps thirty five feet from the stair
way leading from the basement to
the fist floor. From the position OF
the body, it would appear that the
man became bewildered in the
smoke and was crawling toward the
back of the building when death
overlook him. AS soon as the body
was found, Fire Chief Ben Z. Bang
erter notified Or. G.. A. DAM, coun-
ty coroner, who had the body re-
moved to the iandkamer Brothers
undertaking parlors. Every stlten
of clothing was burned from the,
ribly charred from the flames. Cor
oner Dahl decided that death was
accidental and was caused by suf1o-
cation.
Joseph Paul Durenberger was
born in Henderson, Mimi, June n,
1854, and while a young man learn
ed the harness and saddlery traae
from J. A. Cosgrove of LIE Sueur.
Later he was sent by Mr.. CosgroVe
TO ST. James to manage a harness
shop there for him. Afterwards ne
bought out his employers interest
and went into the harness business
for himelf In st. James and continued
there until 1907 when he bought out
the interest of the late w. B. walk
er, who then conducted one OF tne
leading harness shops In this city;
Later Mr.. Durenberger purchased
and moved into the building where
he met his death.
Deceased was the son OF the late
Gebhardt and Thresa Durenberger'
nioneer residents of Henderson. He
was united in marriage on February
1901. to Miss Esther Groskopp at
St James, MINI. She and six chill
dren survive. Mr.. Durenberger is
also survived by the following
brothers and sisters: Anton Duren-
berger of ST. Paul, Gebhardt Duren-
berger of LIE Sueur, Theodore
Durenberger OF Minneapolis, August
Durenberger OF Marshall, Mrs: b.
HOFFMAN, Of Henderson, Mrs. John
Simonett of LIE Sueur Center, MRS.
William Thomas. st Peter, and Mrs.
Ben McCue of LIE Sueur s
Mr.. Durenberger was animated
with the Knights Of Columbus lodge
OF this city.
Mrs. Durenberger, who was not in
the best OF health, is completely
Frustrated by grief, and Is under
the care Of a physician.
a Investigation Of Fire
Owing to the fact that every
ounce Of energy exerted yesterday
afternoon was directed toward the
recovery of the body. Chief Ben E..
Bangerter and HIS corps OF fremen,
did not have time until this morn.
ing to make a full Investigation OF
the cause of the fire. Chief Banger-
ter. Captain w. A. Funk and First
Assistant Chief Ernest Fallenstein
upon entering the basement this
morning first OF all discovered an
Immense pile of rubbish along the
wall directly in front Of the fur
mace. In this rubbish which had not
been consumed by the fire were
found all manner Of highly imam
able substances, greasy leather
scraps, paper and worst Of all
scraps and trimmings OF celluloid,
which is highly inflamable.> In the
corner near the south wall a 100
GALLON metal tank with pump at
tached was found by Chief Bangor
.cr. This tank had exploded at the
ton and hulged the metal out. Jonn
Movers, one of the employees OF the
Durenberger shop, stated 10 SnleI
Bangerter that he thought lnere
might have been about four or nve
gallons Of machine oil In the TANK
The conclusion reached by tne nre
men and all those present was tnat
Mr. Durenberger had gone to- the
basement some time before the
smoke was discovered, filled the fire,
box of the furnace with rubbish and
lighted il. Then the supposition is.
that the furnace Back fired, and
threw SHARKS into the rubbish heap
directly in front Of the furnace. 1t Is
believed that Mr.. Durenberger was
In the act OF extinguishing the ma
mes with an extinguisher. when the
explosion OF the 100 gallon oil tank
- took place and the sudden burst OF
flame cut him of from escape to
the stairway.
Other Material In Cellar
In addition to the oil tank men
toned there was wooden box,
evidently used as an oil vat at one
time, empty oil barrels saturated
with oil, several 1--WE gallon cans OF
LIQUID wax, and some cans OF oil
near the large tank which exploded.
The wax and oil had run out and
was spread all over everything.
On the first floor large quantity
of neatsfoot oil was found intact. !
While in the basement Of the
Durenberger building, Chief Danger
ter called attention to an opening
IN the stone wall leading to the
Powell Auto company's plant.
Nothing separated or protected thu