Because You Asked . . . . | ||||
Friday Morning, March 16, 1956 Fire Sweeps Two Sunbury Stores |
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Blakely Williams Building |
Postcard 1909 |
Twelve Fire Departments Fight
Blaze that Threatened the Entire East Side of the Square Gas left in old gas light pipes was the cause of the fire which began with an explosion in the old frame building. |
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Sunbury |
At 11:20 a.m. Harry Snow, employee of Sunbury
Elactric Company discovered the fire in the rear of the building and
turned in the alarm. The flames spread so rapidly that Snow and
those in the food market barely got out of the building.
Mrs. Satterfield and two other employees, Clarence Cross who was cutting meat and Mrs. Emily Ridenour, were in the store A strong north wind and freezing temperatures hampered the firemen. The firewall between the building and the other rebuilt after the 1926 fire, helped firemen contain the blaze. Carleton S. Burrer owned the Sunbury Electric Shop. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Satterfield owned the food market. The building was owned by Mrs. A. C. Williams, widow of the builder and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Edmund Williams. |
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During WWII Carleton, Daisy Burrer, Bud Harris, Walt Gros |
Carleton, a
BST fireman, was returning from Columbus when he heard the siren and
rushed to the fire house to discover his own store was on fire.
Harry Snow grabbed two ledgers and tried to get the cash drawer but the smoke was too thick. His sister, Mrs. Leta Barnhard was the store bookkeeper. Charles Robinson, an employee had just gone outside to the truck. Daisy Burrer also worked for her son, Carleton. In addition to the Berkshire, Sunbury, Trenton Fire department, Galena, Porter, Orange and 8 others departments aided in controlling the fire.
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Restaurant owners kept the coffee and sandwiches ready for the fire fighters. Mrs. Paul Stelzer of the Sunbury Grill said she couldn't brew it fast enough so Nestles sent her instant to use...Mrs. Maier and others from the Hub helped at the Grill. The Sunbury Diner also sent in coffee. More information is available in The Sunbury News, March 22, 1956 . . . . And Now You Know |
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East Side of the Square Return to Local History Index |
(08/09/2011 ) |