Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1951-05-18
Fire Destroys Kennedy
Factory On Maple Street
OWNER SUFFERS
SEVERE BURNS
IN PLANT FIRE

- - - - @@ - - AhHM@
IN PLANT FIRE
Robert E. Kennedy of 65 E. Sec
ond Street, was severely burned
in a fire which completely de-
stroyed the Kennedy factory
building and all equipment Oh
Maple Street late Wednesday
morning, causing loss roughly
estimated j n excess of $1,000
understood to be partially COW
cred by insurance.
MIR. kennedy's condition
Friday morning was not
considered critical although
the burns are serious. Extent
of the burns was expected to
be determined more fully in
later examinations.
Mr.. Kennedy suffered second
degree burns on the legs. arms
and hands and also burns on the
face. He was also believed to
have suffered a few third degree
burns. A fluid he was using to
combat termites in the building.
exploded from the heat of an
oven.
Clothes Ablaze
With his clothing ablaze he
started to run from the building.
but was seized by William Fout.
201 Hawthorne Ave, who beat
out the fire with the first rar
he could reach and saved hi
from possibly more serious burns.
MIR. Fout was associated with MIR.
Kennedy in operation of the plant.
Fout quickly directed Bobby
Clifton, an employee of the plant,
to take MIR. Kennedy in the plant
jeep and rush him to q physician 1
office for immediate medical at
tention. Almost simultaneously he
telephoned the alarm to the fire
department.
In describing the swiftneSs OF
the fire Mr.. Fout said, Il thought
| would go back In. Well I die
/ go back in to phone the fire de.
partment and try to save some
: papers that were pretty valuable
About that time one of those PAIN
drums let 60 and / got oui
of there!'
The building was quickly en-
veioped in flames. A considerable
quantity of paint was said to have
been stored in the building, adding
to intensity of the fire. BY tn,
time firemen could respond Il
the alarm the building was burn
: ing furiously.
!. Two of London's three fir,
: trucks were used to fight tn
fire and prevent it from spreadint
to nearby frame dwellings am
possibly the McCord Corporation
| plant on the opposite side of TIA
Pennsylvania Railroad tracks.
= Officials at the McCord plan
and employees turned a hose O
the roof and kept the side Of tn
building, exposed to the fire, soak
. ed with water The McCord build
: :, ing was heated to the exten
steam arose from it as the waite
reached the heated areas.
S Wind Favorable
The wind favored efforts {
keep the fire from spreading a
= It threatened nearby dwellings, ]
/ also favored efforts of the fire
men. The trucks were manned b
Charles Mercer and Bob Stewar
. with the aid of large turn-ou
:. of volunteer firemen.
Mr.. Kennedy, after receivin
4 treatment by local physician
,r was taken to Mt. Carmel Hospits
b. by ambulance. His attendin
a physicians said he had suffere
n second degree burns.
Mr.. Fout said the plant PEI
formed general machine shop 10
!. work The equipment include
: lathes, milling machines. shaper,
drills and miscellaneous othe
items. Formerly manufactured
} the plant were such items as
'e patented sling shot and target.
g Mr.. Kennedy was understood /
= have recently obtained a substar
tial defense contract to augmer
It the regular business of the plar
lie and had installed some new equiv
ment, lost in the fire.
d The factory was erected by tn
of late Charles c. Green. who cam
to London from Columbus in 19l
:. and started the West Manufactui
: ing Company. making roll pape
holders, cutters. can openers an
novelties.
h Cameron Green. London. pul
l. chased the business from h
!. father in 1921 and sold il 10 MI
Kennedy about : ears aso