Pleasant Hill, MO Kerosene Explosion, Nov 1929

4 KILLED IN 2 EXPLOSIONS OF KEROSENE.

THREE CHILDREN FATALLY BURNED AT PLEASANT HILL; MOTHER ALSO INJURED BY BLAST.

TRIO SOUGHT TO HELP IN BUILDING FIRE.

MEXICO WOMAN LOSES LIFE IN SIMILAR TRAGEDY EARLY TODAY.

Pleasant Hill, Mo., Nov. 15. (AP) -- Three children lost their lives here today when coal oil, poured on embers in a kitchen stove, exploded. ROBERT STEVENS, 2 years old, HUBERT, 9, and VIRGINIA, 7, were burned fatally when the blazing fluid was thrown on them by the explosion. Their mother, MRS. SAMUEL STEVENS, 38, was burned while tearing the clothing from the children after the explosion. The children died in a Kansas City Hospital where they were taken for treatment.

The Victims.
ROBERT, 2 years old, and HUBERT, 9, died soon after reaching a Kansas City hospital, and their sister, VIRGINIA, 7, died soon afterwards.
The children had crowded around their mother in the kitchen while she stirred up the fire in the stove.
Screaming for help the mother tore the clothing from the three children and in doing so her clothing caught fire. Her screams attracted her husband and other employes of a nearby greenhouse who ran to her aid. Two other children were in another room of the four room house. The injured were taken to Kansas City hospitals.
The tragedy was the result of efforts of the three children to aid their mother in the work at home. MRS. STEVENS was in the bedroom caring for the 7-month old baby, LLOYD. The children decided to fix the fire in the kitchen stove by pouring coal oil on the glowing embers.
As the coal oil struck the embers an explosion resulted, spraying the three children with the blazing fluid. MRS. STEVENS, the mother of seven children, this afternoon was unaware that two of the three children she had attempted to save are dead.

Mexico, Mo., Nov. 15 (AP) -- MRS. J. WINKLER SMITH wife of a carpenter, was fatally burned today when a can of kerosene which she was pouring onto the fire in a kitchen stove, exploded. She died at the Audrain Hospital. Two children survive.

Moberly Monitor-Index Missouri 1929-11-15
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!