Big Death Toll In Series Of U.S. Fires

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29379, 5 December 1960, Page 15

Big Death Toll In Series Of U.S. Fires

NEW YORK, December 3. An outbreak of fires that have taken a high toll in death and property damage in the United States in the last two days continued unabated today.

Deaths in a series of house fires totalled 54, including 37 children. An oil refinery was ablaze early today in California, and a wellknown restaurant burned in the French quarter of New Orleans, threatening a whole block of buildings. Nine huge oil tanks caught fire at the refinery, at Santa Fe Springs, in California. A refinery employee. Mr D. Ellis, said that just before the fire broke out there was “a big flash—apparently ignited from gasoline vapours—and then the explosions began.” He said each tank was about 16 feet high and held about 80.000 gallons of high-octane petrol. He heard at least four explosions. Mr Ellis said about 15 men were working in the refinery at the time but he had heard of no injuries. House Fires At least 54 persons. 37 of them •children, had died in various house fires since Thursday, many of them caused by overheated stoves or gas fumes during winter’s first cold snap. United Press International reported. The latest multiple-death fire was at Monroe. Louisiana, last night, when five negro children and a 55-year-old woman caring for them were burned to death A gas heater was blamed for the tragedy. Louisiana alone counted 12 fire deaths over the two-day period and South Carolina had 11 deaths by fire and suffocation.

Seven persons, five of them children, died in a single Maryland Are. a Louisiana fire claimed six lives, and four children died in an apartment house fire at Hewddon. Pennsylvania. The sole victim of a New York Are was the 11-month-old greatgrandson of the former Secretary of State. Mr John Foster Dulles. The child, David Hinshaw Yoo. was fatally burned on the back and arms by a faulty electric blanket.

In New Orleans Are swept through a century-old landmark in the French quarter early today and threatened a whole block of buildings. The chief Are officer. Mr Howard Dey. said there were no reports of injuries and no-one was believed to be in the affected buildings when the Are broke out shortly before midnight. Scores of Aremen fought the dimes in and around the stricken building, Gluck’s Restaurant. The Are was believed to have started in the dressing room of a community playhouse after a performance last night. At the Calfomia reAnery. the flames later threatened another 18 tanks in a field of 50 tanks, hut the chief fire officer. Mr E. Gates, said he thought the fire was "pretty well contained” and wo”ld not spread further. There were no houses near the refinery.

A drive-in cinema 100 yards from the edge of the field was evacuated and the evening’s films cancelled.