Results for ‘Fires’
JOHN BOYLE A VICTIM
Merritton, Jan. 3
(By Telegram to the Tribune)
(Welland Tribune, 4 January 1889)
A little after four o’clock this morning the fire alarms were sounded at the different mills and factories in the village. Upon getting into the street a fire could be seen at the north of the village. The fireman were at once on hand and proceeded with the hose cart in the direction of the blaze. As they drew near to the blaze it was discovered to be what is called the lower mill of the Lincoln paper mills. The firemen were comparatively useless as far as saving the mill was concerned; it being a frame building it burned with great rapidity and collapsed in a very short time. The building and contents are a total loss. Loss supposed to be about $15,000 or more, partly insured, amount not ascertained as yet. There were about fifteen hands at work at the time, all of whom barely escaped with their lives, having to leave their coats in the burning building.
Mr. John Boyle, brother to conductor Boyle of Welland railway, was burnt to death. Persons who were a work at the time say that he woke up and gave another man his coat and hat and and told him to take them out, and as he was not seen afterwards, it was generally believed that he had perished in the flames, which was proved to be only too true when about 7.30 o’clock his charred remains were discovered in the ruins. He was a young man about 35 years of age. He was a widower and leaves one child, his wife having died about two years ago.
[Welland Tribune, 3 June 1915]
A fire occurred Wednesday morning when a house owned by the government and occupied by surveyors was completely destroyed. The house was situated along the canal and was formerly used as a lock house. The surveyors were able to save all the valuable papers and instruments. Fire-2 June 1915
LOSS WILL BE BETWEEN $8,000 AND $10,000
Blaze Believed to have been Caused by Short Circuit-Interior Almost Completely Destroyed
[Welland Telegraph, 5 January 1912]
The transformer house of the M.C.R., just east of the new canal bridge, used for the purpose of generating power to swing the structure, was badly damaged by fire at noon on Tuesday.
The loss is estimated by J.D. Payne, local agent, to be between eight and ten thousand dollars. Fortunately the power house is not needed at this time of the year as navigation is closed.
It was in the interior that the fire did most of the damage. A quantity of valuable machinery and nearly all of the costly electrical equipment was ruined by fire and water. The cause of the fire is believed to be a short circuit in the wires.
The blaze was first noticed by several switchmen who gave the alarm. The firemen were summoned and did good work, although the building is really in Crowland township. The roof was burned and the walls damaged.
Awoke, Suffocating from Smoke which Filled Room in Which he Slept.
[Welland Telegraph, 12 January 1912]
James Nixon had a narrow escape from death from suffocation early Wednesday morning.
Mr. Nixon left a small oilstove burning in his sleeping apartments when he retired. About three o’clock next morning he awakened strangling with a dense smoke which filled the room. Although almost overcome he managed to pick up the stove and throw it from the room.
The smoke was evidently due to the blocking of the flues with soot.
Fire does Damage to extent of $4500 In Baker Clothing Store
[Welland Telegraph, 23 January 1912]
Fire broke out mysteriously in the store of C.A. Baker in the Rose block, corner North and West Main Streets, on Thursday night about nine o’clock, partially ruined almost the entire stock. The loss will be about $4500 and the insurance will hardly cover more than one-fourth of the loss.
Arthur Horwitz, a clerk, locked the store at about a quarter to nine and at that time, he states, there was no indication of a blaze. The gas stove was left burning but the fire did not start from that source. There was no electrical wiring in the building so that it did not start from defective wiring. The fire apparently started back of the counter about five feet from the stove.
At ten minutes past nine Victor Blake, when walking past the store, heard the crackling of the fire inside and an alarm was at once sent in. When the firemen arrived the interior was found to be burning fiercely and the room was filled with smoke. A stream was soon being played upon the flames and after about twenty minutes work, the blaze was under control, although at one time it threatened to burn through the ceiling to the second floor.
Narrow Escape of Cutler’s Mill, Welland
[People’s Press, 21 September 1909]
On Saturday an explosion occurred in Cutler’s Planing Mills on North Main street. The explosion was caused by a workman lighting a match to find which of two barrels contained black paint and which creosote, it being dark where these were stored. The flames came into contact with the gas from the cresote and the gas caught fire. The mill hands rushed in to put out the fire with water. Tabor Putman threw a rubber cover over the barrel and it fell partially down into the barrel and caught fire around the edge. Mr. Putman got his hands burned. The fire was extinguished with little damage done.
Building carried only $2000 insurance, had been erected 60 years-
Whole street was threatened by flames owing to wind.
[People’s Press, 12 August 1919]
Fire totally destroyed the frame business block owned by Eugene Reeb, Port Colborne, early Friday morning, when about $15,000 damage was done before the untiring and praiseworthy efforts of the local fire brigade, aided by the Humberstone company, were successful in quelling the flames. A strong wind threatened the entire street and it was solely owing to the good work of the department that other buildings in the vicinity were saved.
The block comprised three stores on the ground floor, a drug store and ice cream parlor owned by Mr. H.J. M’Haffey, a grocery store owned by Mr. J. Shibley, and a fruit store owned by Sebastianio and Romeo. These premises and their contents were completely destroyed.
Insurance on the buildings amounted to $2000. The building was erected over sixty years ago, being one of the landmarks of the town. Mr. M’Haffey’s stock valued at about $15,000 and insurance to the amount of $7,500 was carried on it. Insurance on the Shibley stock, which was valued at $7000 was nil, the policy having lapsed only a short time ago, never having been renewed.
In addition to thee premises, a clothes-cleaning and pressing establishment also located in the block was also destroyed, along with a number of suits which had been left in over night. The block was located at the corner of West and Clarence streets.
The fire was first noticed by the night policeman about two o’clock in the morning. An alarm was immediately sounded by Mr. F. Boyer, a totally blind man who lived near by and who ran down the street ringing a bell and crying “Fire.” Boats on the canal took up the alarm and in a few moments a crowd of citizens had formed a volunteer brigade and commenced throwing water on the building, which was now a burning mass. The Humberstone fire engine and crew were soon on the job and helped pump seven streams of water from the canal. A freshening north wind seriously menaced all the buildings which were mostly frame, in the vicinity, but water was constantly applied to surrounding roofs with the result that a great deal of property was saved which otherwise would have been lost.
At six o’clock Friday evening the fire was still smouldering although all danger had been obviated by the through drenching given the ruins.
Wrecks House and Seriously Injures Oswald Hickey
Lights Match in Gas Filled Room-Burned Man May Recover-Wife’s Hands and Hair Burned-$1200 Damage Done-House Insured for $1000
[People’s Press, 16 January 1912]
WRECKED BY GAS EXPLOSION
The above is from the photo of the house at 410 Division street, Welland, which was wrecked by a gas explosion on Sunday morning, Jan. 14th., and as result of which Oswald Hickey died on Friday morning last. The house is one of those owned by the Cozy Homes Co.
Oswald Hickey is so badly burnt that the chances of his recovery are considered about even, and his wife’s hands are painfully burned and her hair nearly all burned off, as the result of an explosion of gas, which occurred at Cosy Homes, 410 East Division St. (Welland) at 3 o’clock on Sunday morning. The explosion was caused by the lighting of a match in a room which was filled with gas.
A small gas heater had been left burning in the hallway which adjoins all the rooms in the upstairs of the house. It is believed that the pressure became so low during the night that the fire went out and later the gas came on at full pressure again, filling the four rooms of the upstairs. Either that or the changes in the pressure of gas dislocated the rubber hose used to feed the stove.
At three o’clock Hickey arose to light the gas beneath the tank in the bath room, and when he struck the match a tremendous explosion occurred. He was thrown against the ceiling and fell in the bath tub. A second elapsed before another blast sounded in the bedroom next to the bathroom, in which Mrs. Hickey was lying in bed. She was thrown from her bed half-way through the open doorway of the bathroom.
The first blow-up took the roof off the front part of the house, and the second blew the east side completely out of the building, threw half the roof over onto the next house where it hung, and bulged the back and west sides of the building out of place so they are leaning ready to fall at any moment.
Fire broke out immediately and Hickey shouted to his wife to leave the house, following close behind her. He ran a hundred feet from the house and then lay down and rolled in the snow to put out the fire which was burning his night dress. Naked and burned from head to foot he reached the boiler room of the Supreme Heating Co. His wife ran to the home of Mr. Joseph Hickey, Oswald Hickey;s brother, at James Blackwell’s, on East Main street, where the injured man was taken 30 minutes later.
In the meantime Stanley Howick, who lives next door, and three young men named Walker, had reached the scene and removed nearly all the furniture before the fire spoilt it. An alarm was sent in to the fire department and in short time the crew was on the job. Difficulties were thick in the path of the fighters though; the hydrant in front of the house was frozen up, and when water was secured from another the nozzle of the hose was choked with ice. Quick work was done by the department in putting out the flames. The verandah is unscorched and little of the interior of the house is injured by fire, but it so ripped apart by the explosion that the entire house will have to be rebuilt.
Two doctors were called to care for the wounded man and woman and after soothing the pain and mending the injuries as far as possible, they declared that Mr. Hickey has a good chance of recovery. Danger of complications setting in is all that they fear. Mrs. Hickey is only burnt on the hands and bruised by being thrown by the explosion. Her hair is also destroyed for the present. Mr. Hickey is burnt almost all over his body, very deeply in some places. His eyes he is unable to open yet.
About $150 worth of clothing and furniture was lost in the fire. The house, which is owned by The Cozy Homes Co., was valued at $1000, and was insured for that amount.
On Monday noon Mr. Hickey was resting comfortably. The physician’s report of his condition was very favorable. The burns were showing signs of quick recovery.
Oswald Hickey Succumbs to His Injuries
[People’s Press, 23 January1912]
His serious injuries were not the end of the disaster which overtook Oswald Hickey on Sunday morning a week ago. He suffered from the burns which enveloped his body for a week, and then pneumonia setting in Thursday night, sank suddenly in his weak condition, and expired at three o’clock on Friday morning. He was approaching his 23rd birthday, which, had he lived, would have taken place on March 12th next.
From the first his condition was so serious that doubt was held of his recovery, but he seemed to be progressing favorably. Even on Thursday morning he seemed to be resting easily and doing as well as could be expected, but in the evening the dread pneumonia set in and his physician warned his relatives of his serious condition, death occurring a few hours later, as stated.
Mr. Hickey was born in Toronto, where the home of his parents is at present. He was reared there and came to Welland two years ago.
In August last he was married to Miss Mary Cherry, a former resident of Toronto, and they took up housekeeping on East Division street, in the house where he met with the fatal accident.
Besides his wife, four brothers are still living, viz: Fred and Russell of Toronto, and Joe and Leo of Welland; three sisters, Lilly, Edna and Ethel, and his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. James J. Hickey, are all numbered among his survivors. His father is manager for the Supreme Heating Co., of Welland, in which establishment deceased was also employed.
The body was taken to Toronto on Friday and the funeral took place Monday, from his parental home in Toronto to Mount Hope cemetery of the Roman Catholic church.
Deceased was a member of the R.C. Church, of exceptionally good character and habits, and deservedly possessing the respect and friendship of all who knew him, and who deeply deplore his tragic end.
People’s Press
23 January 1912
Died: 19 January 1912
Married: 7 August 1911-Sarah Cherry
Mount Hope Cemetery, Toronto
12 March 1889-19 January 1912
Pnuemonia
Father: James J. Hickey
Mother: Elizabeth Karens
Visitors See Welland Brigade Respond to Call at Mrs. Susan Lamonts
[Welland Telegraph, 5 August 1910]
The home of Mrs. Susan Lamont, Regent Street, was totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday evening.
Mrs. Lamont is an aged woman and lived alone in the house. Mrs. Lamont states that she heard someone at the rear of the house just before the blaze started and she believes the house was set on fire.
The blaze was first noticed by the men in charge of the fireworks display on the canal. As everyone was on pleasure bent it was some time before an alarm was sent in.
Most of the furnishings were gotten out but a small sum of money and a few other valuables were destroyed. Mrs. Lamont was helped away from the front door where she was sitting by a neighbor.
The house was worth about $300. Whether there was any insurance or not is not known.
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