Mother, Children Die In Blaze

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 17

Mother, Children Die In Blaze

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) PALMYRA (New York), Dec. 21. A mother and her six small children, less than an hour from “a new job and home of happiness,” were burned to death yesterday.

Four small bodies were found huddled in a corner in the arms of their mother.

Paul Breeden, aged 31, on Saturday telephoned to tell his family of his new job in Chicago as a spot welder and of a new home he had located.

He pulled up at the house in Palmyra less than an hour after the fire broke out early yesterday morning. Firemen told him his family was probably staying with friends in the area. Breeden tried vainly for seven hours to locate his family before learning the truth.

Found crouched in a corner, apparently trying to shield four of her children, was the body of Mrs Anna Breeden, aged 25. The children, with her or nearby, were Marion, aged eight, Dennis, seven, Susan, five, Mitchell, four,

Sharon, three, and Samuel, two.

Fire Chief James O’Brien said they were sleeping together on the floor of the wooden house, among the packed possessions they hoped to take to their new home in the morning. About 75 firemen battled for eight hours to end the blaze, which raced through two adjoining homes occupied by four families with many small children. Mr Breeden, who left his job to “seek a better future for my family,” was treated for shock after the bodies were discovered.

fen other persons died in fires at Minnesota and New York city yesterday. On Saturday, 23 children and three adults were burned to death in five states.

On Friday, 20 elderly persons died in a nursing home fire in Fountaintown, Indiana.