Sylvan Beach, NY Auto Collision, July 1957

6 DIE IN SYLVAN BEACH CRASH.

FLAMES TRAP VICTIMS AFTER 2 CARS COLLIDE.

GIRL CRITICAL; PULLED FREE JUST IN TIME.

Six persons were killed and one was critically injured early yesterday in a flaming head-on auto crash five miles northeast of Sylvan Beach.
Veteran state police said it was the worst auto accident they had ever seen. THOMAS A. COX of Rome, Oneida County coroner, said it was the worst accident in the county in at least 20 years.
Killed were:
LYNN VREDENBURG, 26, of Oriskany RD 1, near Utica.
WESLEY CARL LOOMIS, 25, Oneida Castle.
LAUREN LOOMIS, 20, Blossvale RD 1.
MISS BARBARA JEAN LOOMIS, 17, Blossvale RD 1.
MRS. DORIA STONER DAMORE, 24, of 226 E. Elm St., Oneida.
DANNY D. DANIELSKY, 20, of McConnellsville.
In critical condition in Oneida City Hospital is MISS MARY STONER, 19, of 226 W. Elm St., Oneida.
Cpl. FRED FESENGER and Trooper J. J. CONNELLY said a 1957 convertible, operated by VREDENBURG, was headed west in Route 49, about a quarter of a mile west of Route 13.

Wrong Lane.
A 1957 sedan, apparently opperated by WESLEY LOOMIS, was headed east state police said, and apparently went into the wrong lane of the two-lane highway, at a straightaway.
VREDENBURG was riding alone. The other six were riding in the WESLY LOOMIS car. Police said WESLEY LOOMIS' body was found behind the wheel of the car.
Passersby pulled LAUREN LOOMIS, MRS. DAMORE and MISS STONER from the wreckage.
Then both cars burst into flames before the others could be pulled from the wreckage.
Trooper CONNOLLY said the flames shot 100 feet in the air. He said the extreme heat made it impossible to get within 50 feet of the cars.

Bodies Badly Burned.
Firemen from North Bay and Sylvan Beach Fire Departments extinguished the blaze, but the bodies were burned almost beyond recognition, state police said.
Coroner COX issued verdicts of accidental death in all the cases. He said VREDENBURG. WESLEY LOOMIS, BARBARA LOOMIS and DANIELSKY died of first, second and third degree burns of the entire body. MRS. DAMORE and LAUREN LOOMIS died of fractured skulls, he said.
The LOOMISES were sister and brothers, and MISS STONER and MRS. DAMORE were sisters. The six in the LOOMIS car were on their way home at 2:25 a.m. after spending an evening at the Sylvan Beach resort area.

The Post-Standard Syracuse New York 1957-07-29
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!