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GIRL OF ELEVEN FATALLY BURNED
Little Housekeeper Used Coal-oil to Help Kitchen Fire
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 12 May 1921]
A startling fatality occurred in Smithville on Monday afternoon when Alice, the eleven year old daughter of Jacob Sames, was so severely burned about the body that the little one passed away within 24 hours after the occurrence. In the absence of her father, who was taken away from home teaming gravel at the lake shore near Beamsville, the child in company with her two younger sisters, aged 7 and 9 was keeping house and after doing a day’s washing and cleaning, attempted to light the kitchen stove, and finding the fire not burning as she desired, used a coal oil can full of oil to make the wood burn.
After applying the oil the can was left on the flat oven door, while she retired to a nearby lounge to lie down for a short rest. Being tired, the little one dozed into a light sleep, the coal oil can became overheated and exploded, throwing the oil all over the room and over the prostrate child, igniting her clothing and the contents of the room.
She immediately ran screaming to the street and the alarm was at once sounded by the nearby townsfolk who rushed to her assistance and with coats smothered the flames as the little on rolled in the ditch. She was carried into the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Downey and Drs. Zumstein and Robinson hurriedly summoned who gave her every assistance.
The clothing was burned off the body and the skin peeled off with the little clothing that was left. Her condition was pronounced hopeless and she passed away the following afternoon remaining quite conscious near the end. Her sisters, who were playing outside, were unharmed. The room in the house suffered considerable damage before the flames were extinguished by willing hands who hurriedly gathered at the alarm of fire.
The loss of the contents of the house is covered by insurance.
Mr. Sames was sent for at once and he arrived home a short time after the accident. He is heart-broken over the sad occurrence.
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