Preview
Identifier
20124432
Description
Cigarette Eye in Fire Fatal to Two Fire Marshall Killian Wednesday speculated that carelessness with a cigarette may have caused the 614 West Weatherford apartment house fire Tuesday that snuffed out the lives of two brothers. The rampaging second-floor fire cause $6,000 damage to the structure, Killian estimated, and asphyxiated Emmett Owens, 60, a cook, and Randell Ray Owens, 48, a disabled war veteran. Four other occupants were routed into the sleet and snow when flames struck the old 2 1/2 story building during the late afternoon. They were a third brother, D. H. Owens; Toll Johnson, 85, former deputy sheriff. W. H. Wilbanks and Mrs. Wassie Austin, owner of the house. Policeman Jesse Croxdale, 36, who 31 days ago broke into a burning house and led five persons to safety , ran up 21 ice-coated steps, kicked in three locked doors and led three men from the burning Weatherford Street building. Then, trying to rescue one of the brothers who perished, he was overcome by smoke and collapse on a second-story landing. His partner, Policeman John Thompson, rescued him. Croxdale, who was returned to his home after treatment at St. Joseph's Hospital, will be recommended for commendation for action beyond the call of duty, Sgt. H. H. Price said.
Archival Date
1958-12-30
Collection Name
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection
Collection Number
AR406-6-180
Original Format
Negatives, Black & White
File Format
JPG
Rights
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License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Subjects
Fire victims
Names
Austin, Wassie (Mrs.); St. Joseph's Hospital
Subjects
Fire victims