|
| You are here: Cambria > Obituaries > LITZINGER, Vernon |
 |
 |
|
| Obituary Index LITZINGER, Vernon |
|
| SOURCE NOTATION: |
| Johnstown Tribune, 29 Jan 1923, Contributed by Lisa Baker |
| Coupon Woman, Two Sons, Victims of Blaze Which Destroys Home Mrs. Rose Litzinger Expires in Altoona Hospital After Night of Suffering from Terrible Burns; Two Young Sons Cremated, Only Whitened Bones Being Found; Plucky Young Daughter Jumps from Window and Survives, With Two Other Children; Blae [Blaze] Believed Due to Overheated Stove. ALTOONA, Jan. 29. – Fire, probably starting from a kitchen stove on Saturday night at 10 o’clock, completely destroyed the home of Mrs. Rose Litzinger and family of Coupon, Cambria County, two of the children being burned to death, the mother dying yesterday morning at the Altoona Hospital as the result of terrible burns of all parts of the body and two other children at present lying critically injured at the same institution. The dead: Mrs. Rose Litzinger, widow, aged 36 years, died at Altoona Hospital; second and third degree burns of face, neck, chest and legs. ERNON [Vernon] LITZINGER, aged 14, burned to death in house. EDGAR LITZINGER, aged 8, burned to death in house. The injured: Charles Litzinger, aged 10, second degree burns of all parts of the body; condition serious; Altoona Hospital. May Litzinger, aged 6, second degree burns of face, trunk and legs; condition serious; Altoona Hospital. Ruth Litzinger, aged 13, slight injuries of legs, sustained by jumping from second floor window; being taken care of by neighbors. Mrs. Litzinger has been a widow for a number of years. The family was kept together through the efforts of the mother who did washing and other work, she being the sole support. The family lived in a two-story frame house, which had four rooms and a shanty attached at the rear. The Litzinger family retired about 9:30 o’clock Saturday evening. About 10 minutes later sent the eldest daughter back to the first floor to see if the damper in the kitchen stove had been dropped to make all safe for the night. The girl made an examination and reported the stove ready for the night. Twenty minutes or so passed and Mrs. Litzinger believed she smelled smoke. Clad only in her night clothes, she went down to the kitchen herself. The stairway at the Litzinger home opened only upon the kitchen and there was no other means of exit from the bedrooms. As Mrs. Litzinger opened the door at the foot of the stairs she was met by a wall of flames, the entire kitchen being ablaze. Her light clothing took fire immediately. Her screams of agony brought the other children to her and at once began the battle to cross the blazing room to the back door of the house about 10 feet away. Jumps from Window The oldest girl, aged 13, finally saw the futility of such an attempt and running back upstairs, she seized a low wooden stool and sent it …….. through a second floor window at the rear of the house. Through the opening the girl hurled herself. Though somewhat injured she screamed for assistance and summoned John and Edward Moore, neighbors. The men rushed to the kitchen door, some 10 feet from where the girl had left the imprisoned family, but they found it locked and had to break it down. Just inside the door, the two children, now in the Altoona Hospital, Charles and May, were found and carried to safety. In the flames and smoke the men could see nothing but they finally touched the prostrate form of Mrs. Litzinger and dragged her out by the ankles. The two other boys could not be found and were evidently already unconscious. The bones were found in the ruins of the house yesterday morning, the house being totally destroyed. The injured woman and children were taken to the home of John Moore and telephone communication was immediately established in Altoona. Thomas L. Jones, mine superintendent at the Coupon workings, being summoned to the scene of the fire. Upon arrival in Coupon, Mr. Jones got in touch with the Altoona Hospital which volunteered to send the ambulance. In the mean time, Dr. G. W. Kirumbine, of Ashville, was summoned and rendered first aid. The heavy ambulance made the run to coupon [Coupon] in 40 minutes and loaded the injured aboard, making a fast trip back to the local institution. Mrs. Litzinger was practically in a dying condition upon arrival at the hospital, but all possible was done to alleviate her suffering. She had sustained deep burns of the face, neck, chest and legs. She died at the local institution at 6:16 yesterday morning, just five hours after admission. Girl Escapes It was found that the plucky girl who jumped from the window to summon aid was not badly hurt, the snow which covered the ground apparently breaking the fall to considerable extent and after examination on the part of Dr. Krumbine, she was taken to the home of neighbors to be cared for. Those who yesterday morning began to search in the ashes for the remains of the two boys had little difficulty finding them. Whitened bones were all that was left, the intensity of the fire having completely cremated the bodies. Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed. It is likely that the remains of the mother and the two little victims will be buried in the same grave. |
|