Evening star., 1945-12-24
YuIe Tree Fire
Kills Girl, "A,
Injuries Five
Electric Spork
Blamed as Boy
Turns on Lights

A charred Christmas tree in
front of ia e street NV. was
the grim reminder today Of q
FIRE which swept the two-story
home, bringing death to one girl
and burning five other persons.
The tragedy occurred yesterday
morning when a 6-year-old boy,
Harold Buddy Holstein, who
couldn't wait to see the trees bright
lights, slipped from his mothers
bed and tip-toed downstairs.
He plugged the light cord into q
socket and there was a fash. A piece
Of cotton on the tree ignited, the
tree blazed and soon the house was
afire. Four of the eight persons
there escaped by jumping from q
second-story window.
Girl Dies In Rescue Attempt.
Not so fortunate was Naomi Nor
wood, IA, of 1904 Belmont street
NV, who had come to visit on Sat-
urday and helped decorate the home
for Christmas. She died of burns
suffered as she sought to escape
in a wild dash downstairs.
Mrs. Annie Bell Holstein, 43, Wild
owed mother Of eight and head Of
the home where the tragedy oc-
CURED, is in serious condition at
Emergency Hospital with frst and
second degree burns. With her
there is her daughter, Mrs. vir-
ginia Leopard, %, whose condition
Is critical.
In Casualty Hospital are two Of
the Holstein children, Annie Laurie,
II, and Harold, 6. The condition
Of both, suffering first and second
degree burns, is described as fair.
Boy Released After Treatment.
Mrs. Leopard's son, Bruce, 5, was
released from Casualty Hospital
after treatment for first-degree
burns.
Pvt. George Quattlebaum, 81, Mrs.
Holstein's foster grandson, escaped
without injury. He lives at 634
Fourth street NV, but is at the
home of an aunt, Mrs. C. Raymond
Giddings, 3728 Jocelyn street, Chevy
Chase. Also there is Bruce, whose
father, Corpl. Noland Leopard, was
killed On Luzon last January Is, and
Barbara.
When the fire broke out at 8::25
am, all occupants of the house
except Buddy were in their beds.
All but Pvt. Quattlebaum. who was
sleeping next to the room where
the tree stood, were upstairs.
Fire Spreads Quickly.
Famed by draft from open win.
dows upstairs. the fire spread quick
ly and shot up the stairway.
Before it spread that far, how
ever, Buddy rushed up and tried to
awaken every one. AS the panic
spread, there we're frantic efforts
to save every one.
Miss Norwood died in the eonfu-
sion and Mrs. Leopard and Annie
Laurie Holstein were burned.
Today Barbara told how Buddy
awakened her by running upstairs
crying that the tree was on fire. She
said Naomi, who was sleeping with
her, ran downstairs but found the
fire too much and came back.
Soldier Escapes by Door.
my sister, Virginia (Mrs. Leop-
ard, who was sleeping in a room
next to mother, ran downstairs to
awaken George (Pvt. Quattlebaum) l..
The fire in the living room was so
big by that time that she had to yell
to him in the dining room.
After George called the Fire De-
partment he went out the kitchen
door. The rest of us were trapped
upstairs. Virginia and Naomi we're
burned going down the stairs. They
tried to beat out the flames with
their hands going down the steps"
Barbara said she broke the win
dow of her room with her fist and
helped her mother out. 1t was T.
foot jump to the back porch roof,
she said, and Mrs. Holstein sprained
an ankle in the drop.
Falls Through Roof.
Then I went out and my sister,
Virginia, handed down her baby,
Bruce. After that Virginia jumped
and fell through the roof"
| At the same time Pvt. Quattle-
baum, assisted by Don Anthonelli, q
nextdoor neighbor, were helping
Mrs. Holstein and Bruce from the
roof Barbara said she went down
through the hole made by Mrs. Leop-
ards fall.
Annie Laurie was taken from the
inferno by Police Privates j. w.
Hayes and C. F. Sullivan of No.
precinct, who said they were cruis-
ing nearby and entered the house
to find the girl in the downstairs
hallway, her nightgown ablaze.
Dies in Hospital.
Firemen found Miss Norwood COL
lapsed in a hallway and carried her
out. She died in Casualty Hospital
yesterday evening.
Barbara said she believed Buddy,
after giving the alarm, had man.
aged to reach safety through the
front door without assistance.
The daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Oliver Norwood of 1904 Belmont
street NV. Miss Norwood was an
8-B student at Powell Junior High
\ School and formerly had attended
Gales and Seton public schools. She
moved here years ago from Ger
mantown, Md, where she was born.
The holidays were to have been
the brightest both the Holsteins and
Norwoods had enjoyed in some
time. The Norwoods were reunited
with son, Stanley, discharged
soldier, and the Holsteins were
looking for the return of a son and
brother, Louis, Of the Army.