Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-15
Rescues
Baby and Sitter
|nburningHon1
Mrs. de Sibour Breaks
Through Door After
Lightning Sets Fire

IiYHtHIHY JETS THS
Mrs. j. Blaise de Sibour. jr.,
wife Of the prominent Washing
ton insurance man. last night
smashed through a glass door
|of their Mclean. Va, home to
rescue her baby daughter and
the panic-stricken baby-sitter
from a fire ignited by a light
ming bolt.
The de Sibours were driving
home about $3.50 pm. when
lightning struck their $4,000
home on a 26-acre estate and
flames roared along the copper
flashing under the roof. Nancy
Durham, II, who lives next door
on Peacock Station road. was
sitting with the de Sibours 18-
month-old daughter, Stephanie.
She apparently was frightened
by the thunder and lightning
and did not know the house was
ablaze.
The frantic mother ran
through the driving rain to the
back porch. ramned her fist
Through the glass and carried
her infant to safety. leading
Nancy with her. Nancy had the
door locked.
Damage Of $4,000
The fire did an estimated $685.
900 damage to the house the
Ide Sibours have occupied only
Ifive-and-a-half months. despite
the efforts Of five companies of
Fairfax County firemen. Edward
r.. Mills, jr.. 26, Of the Dunn LORI
ling Department was overcome by
smoke but was treated and re-
LEASED at Arlington Hospital.
Other companies responding
were Great Falls. Herndon, Nc
Lean and Vienna.
Mr.. de Sibour, neighbors and
firemen took valuableS out OF
the house while other flremen
fought the fire. Most OF the
damage was to the roof and
upper stories. A French poodle,
Paddles, was asphyxiated but
Mr.. de Sibour and a neighbor.
Carl Soresi. jr.. IA. managed to
save q Labrador retriever named
Jill.
Mrs. de Sibour suffered q cut
wrist in breaking the glass of her
door. but did not require hos
pital treatment.
In another storm incident
Joseph M. O'Connell of the
Wheaton Rescue Squad was
blinded temporarily by bolt OF
lightning which struck a pole
near him as he prepared victim:
Of an accident of Viers Mill roac
for transportation to the hos
pital. He was admitted to Wash
ington Sanitarium with flash
burns about the eyes.
Lightning, high winds and
rising waters did extensive dam
age over a wide area in the elec-
trical storm. Power was cut in
some sections.
The barn of Abba Schwartz or
Cashell road near Norbeck. Md.
was struck by lightning and to-
tally destroyed in the ensuing
FIRE. The Sandy Spring ano
: Laytonsville fire departments
of upper Montgomery County
fought the blaze.
Other Homes Struck
Other homes struck by light
ming were at 722 North Wake
] field street. Arlington and 50(
1 West Great Falls street. Fall:
! Church. Power wires were
) knocked down in the 1900 block
of Rock Spring road, Arlington
, knocking out electric service fol-
. a time.
Lighting struck a lO0-year.
; old black walnut tree behind the
home Of DR.. Gerald j. Schippel
in Spring Lake Park, Rockville
twice last night. This morning
E he found four dead sheep under
the tree.
Six houses were struck b,
! lightning with minor damage IL
Silver Spring and six basement
were flooded and had to b
pumped out. Police reported higl
water on Beach drive at East
West highway. Sligo Creek raj
out Of its banks at Forest Glel
q road and high water was re
j ported at Kensington- Wheaton
{ road at Drum avenue and Valley
wood road and Viers Mill roac
A tree. felled across a roa,
near Ellicott City, was ramme,
e in opposite directions by a WON
" an in a car and five firemen Il
e a fire truck rushing to a fire l
e took firemen an hour to free on
: Of their number but he escape
It with minor injuries.
!, !, NEWEST DESTROYER