Mechanicsburg, PA Bowling Alley And Apartment Fire, Mar 1956

THREE PA. CHILDREN DIE AS HOME BURNS.

Mechanicsburg, Pa. (AP) -- Three children burned to death today in a fire which swept their apartment home in this Cumberland County town near Harrisburg.
The victims were identified by Mechanicsburg police as JOAN, 8, MICHAEL, 4, and HARRY, 2, children of MR. and MRS. HARRY SHEARER.
The parents and an older child, MARY ELLEN, 11, escaped from the burning building without serious injury.
An officer at the police station said the fire was discovered in the second-floor apartment home shortly before daybreak.

Roof Caved In.
The first floor of the two-story frame building housed a bowling alley.
"The building still is standing, but it was burned out and the roof caved in," the police officer said.
The origin of the fire was undetermined.
The parents, HARRY SHEARER, 35, and ROSE MARY SHEARER, 33, were taken to the Seidel Memorial Hospital, Mechanicsburg, suffering from minor burns and shock.
The elder daughter, MARY ELLEN, was uninjured. She was awakened by the smoke and ran from the burning home to summon police.
The bodies of the three dead children were removed from the burned out apartment.

Chester Times Pennsylvania 1956-03-31
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!