Died in a house fire along with six brothers and sisters.
The following article was published in the Vidette Messenger (Valparaiso, Indiana) on Thursday, November 13, 1958:
FIRE KILLS SEVEN YOUNG CHILDREN
Girl Hurled
To Safety
By Parents
Tragic Blast,
Blaze Occurs
In Fort Wayne
FORT WAYNE, Ind.(AP)-Seven young children ranging in age from 7 weeks to 11 years died today when an explosion and fire roared through a frame house in the southwest part of the city.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gammons managed to get out of the six-room dwelling after throwing an eighth youngster, 4-year-old Connie, to safety through a window.
Both parents and the surviving child were taken to Lutheran hospital for treatment of burns, cuts and bruises.
Found In Bed
The frantic parents tried to save their other children but were forced to flee again by leaping flames and thick smoke pouring through their home.
Flames were shooting 40 feet into the air when firemen arrived, and it was some time before they could force their way inside.
Found lying in their beds, apparently overcome by smoke as they slept, were the bodies of George, 11; Chester, 9; Irene, 7; Alvis, 5; John, 3; Carolyn, 1 and Georgia Ann, 7 weeks.
The five older youngsters were sleeping in the second bedroom of the house. The rescued girl and the two youngest slept in the same room with their parents.
Mother Hysterical
Firemen said the explosion may have occurred near the oil furnace and oil spurting from several lines fed the flames.
The 31-years-old Mrs. Gammons sobbed hysterically to police that she awoke when the alarm clock went off, fed the youngest baby and then encountered smoke as she tried to enter the kitchen.
She ran back to the bedroom and awakened her husband, a 34-year-old truck driver for an oil company. They threw Connie through the window, then were barred by heavy smoke from going through the kitchen to reach the bedroom where five youngsters were sleeping.
The parents jumped from the window of their own bedroom. The two youngest children were in their cribs in this room.
Alarm Unheeded
Racing around to the other side of the house. Mr. and Mrs. Gammons frantically tried to waken the five sleeping children. They beat on the closed window and screamed, hoping that George, the eldest and a Boy Scout, would hear them and rescue himself and the others.
But evidently all five already were overcome by smoke, and the parents were forced away by flames and smoke.
"It was definitely a defective carburetor in the oil heater that caused the fire." said Detective Capt. John Carpino.
Repairman Doesn't Come
Carpino said Mrs. Gammons had called a repairman Wednesday to have it fixed. the repairman had not come.
A neighbor woman who called the fire department said she heard a noise "like a shotgun" but authorities were not certain if the sound was the oil stove exploding, a television picture tube blowing out or some other explosion inside the flaming house.
The parents and their only surviving child were reported in fair condition in the hospital. Gammons was in extreme shock and could not be questioned. The girl was placed in an oxygen tent.
The Gammons' home was in a neighborhood occupied largely by factory and railroad employes. However, the house was not far from Fort Wayne's exclusive Indian Village Residential district.
The following article was published in the Vidette Messenger (Valparaiso, Indiana) on Thursday, November 13, 1958:
FIRE KILLS SEVEN YOUNG CHILDREN
Girl Hurled
To Safety
By Parents
Tragic Blast,
Blaze Occurs
In Fort Wayne
FORT WAYNE, Ind.(AP)-Seven young children ranging in age from 7 weeks to 11 years died today when an explosion and fire roared through a frame house in the southwest part of the city.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gammons managed to get out of the six-room dwelling after throwing an eighth youngster, 4-year-old Connie, to safety through a window.
Both parents and the surviving child were taken to Lutheran hospital for treatment of burns, cuts and bruises.
Found In Bed
The frantic parents tried to save their other children but were forced to flee again by leaping flames and thick smoke pouring through their home.
Flames were shooting 40 feet into the air when firemen arrived, and it was some time before they could force their way inside.
Found lying in their beds, apparently overcome by smoke as they slept, were the bodies of George, 11; Chester, 9; Irene, 7; Alvis, 5; John, 3; Carolyn, 1 and Georgia Ann, 7 weeks.
The five older youngsters were sleeping in the second bedroom of the house. The rescued girl and the two youngest slept in the same room with their parents.
Mother Hysterical
Firemen said the explosion may have occurred near the oil furnace and oil spurting from several lines fed the flames.
The 31-years-old Mrs. Gammons sobbed hysterically to police that she awoke when the alarm clock went off, fed the youngest baby and then encountered smoke as she tried to enter the kitchen.
She ran back to the bedroom and awakened her husband, a 34-year-old truck driver for an oil company. They threw Connie through the window, then were barred by heavy smoke from going through the kitchen to reach the bedroom where five youngsters were sleeping.
The parents jumped from the window of their own bedroom. The two youngest children were in their cribs in this room.
Alarm Unheeded
Racing around to the other side of the house. Mr. and Mrs. Gammons frantically tried to waken the five sleeping children. They beat on the closed window and screamed, hoping that George, the eldest and a Boy Scout, would hear them and rescue himself and the others.
But evidently all five already were overcome by smoke, and the parents were forced away by flames and smoke.
"It was definitely a defective carburetor in the oil heater that caused the fire." said Detective Capt. John Carpino.
Repairman Doesn't Come
Carpino said Mrs. Gammons had called a repairman Wednesday to have it fixed. the repairman had not come.
A neighbor woman who called the fire department said she heard a noise "like a shotgun" but authorities were not certain if the sound was the oil stove exploding, a television picture tube blowing out or some other explosion inside the flaming house.
The parents and their only surviving child were reported in fair condition in the hospital. Gammons was in extreme shock and could not be questioned. The girl was placed in an oxygen tent.
The Gammons' home was in a neighborhood occupied largely by factory and railroad employes. However, the house was not far from Fort Wayne's exclusive Indian Village Residential district.
Died in a house fire along with six brothers and sisters.
The following article was published in the Vidette Messenger (Valparaiso, Indiana) on Thursday, November 13, 1958:
FIRE KILLS SEVEN YOUNG CHILDREN
Girl Hurled
To Safety
By Parents
Tragic Blast,
Blaze Occurs
In Fort Wayne
FORT WAYNE, Ind.(AP)-Seven young children ranging in age from 7 weeks to 11 years died today when an explosion and fire roared through a frame house in the southwest part of the city.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gammons managed to get out of the six-room dwelling after throwing an eighth youngster, 4-year-old Connie, to safety through a window.
Both parents and the surviving child were taken to Lutheran hospital for treatment of burns, cuts and bruises.
Found In Bed
The frantic parents tried to save their other children but were forced to flee again by leaping flames and thick smoke pouring through their home.
Flames were shooting 40 feet into the air when firemen arrived, and it was some time before they could force their way inside.
Found lying in their beds, apparently overcome by smoke as they slept, were the bodies of George, 11; Chester, 9; Irene, 7; Alvis, 5; John, 3; Carolyn, 1 and Georgia Ann, 7 weeks.
The five older youngsters were sleeping in the second bedroom of the house. The rescued girl and the two youngest slept in the same room with their parents.
Mother Hysterical
Firemen said the explosion may have occurred near the oil furnace and oil spurting from several lines fed the flames.
The 31-years-old Mrs. Gammons sobbed hysterically to police that she awoke when the alarm clock went off, fed the youngest baby and then encountered smoke as she tried to enter the kitchen.
She ran back to the bedroom and awakened her husband, a 34-year-old truck driver for an oil company. They threw Connie through the window, then were barred by heavy smoke from going through the kitchen to reach the bedroom where five youngsters were sleeping.
The parents jumped from the window of their own bedroom. The two youngest children were in their cribs in this room.
Alarm Unheeded
Racing around to the other side of the house. Mr. and Mrs. Gammons frantically tried to waken the five sleeping children. They beat on the closed window and screamed, hoping that George, the eldest and a Boy Scout, would hear them and rescue himself and the others.
But evidently all five already were overcome by smoke, and the parents were forced away by flames and smoke.
"It was definitely a defective carburetor in the oil heater that caused the fire." said Detective Capt. John Carpino.
Repairman Doesn't Come
Carpino said Mrs. Gammons had called a repairman Wednesday to have it fixed. the repairman had not come.
A neighbor woman who called the fire department said she heard a noise "like a shotgun" but authorities were not certain if the sound was the oil stove exploding, a television picture tube blowing out or some other explosion inside the flaming house.
The parents and their only surviving child were reported in fair condition in the hospital. Gammons was in extreme shock and could not be questioned. The girl was placed in an oxygen tent.
The Gammons' home was in a neighborhood occupied largely by factory and railroad employes. However, the house was not far from Fort Wayne's exclusive Indian Village Residential district.
The following article was published in the Vidette Messenger (Valparaiso, Indiana) on Thursday, November 13, 1958:
FIRE KILLS SEVEN YOUNG CHILDREN
Girl Hurled
To Safety
By Parents
Tragic Blast,
Blaze Occurs
In Fort Wayne
FORT WAYNE, Ind.(AP)-Seven young children ranging in age from 7 weeks to 11 years died today when an explosion and fire roared through a frame house in the southwest part of the city.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gammons managed to get out of the six-room dwelling after throwing an eighth youngster, 4-year-old Connie, to safety through a window.
Both parents and the surviving child were taken to Lutheran hospital for treatment of burns, cuts and bruises.
Found In Bed
The frantic parents tried to save their other children but were forced to flee again by leaping flames and thick smoke pouring through their home.
Flames were shooting 40 feet into the air when firemen arrived, and it was some time before they could force their way inside.
Found lying in their beds, apparently overcome by smoke as they slept, were the bodies of George, 11; Chester, 9; Irene, 7; Alvis, 5; John, 3; Carolyn, 1 and Georgia Ann, 7 weeks.
The five older youngsters were sleeping in the second bedroom of the house. The rescued girl and the two youngest slept in the same room with their parents.
Mother Hysterical
Firemen said the explosion may have occurred near the oil furnace and oil spurting from several lines fed the flames.
The 31-years-old Mrs. Gammons sobbed hysterically to police that she awoke when the alarm clock went off, fed the youngest baby and then encountered smoke as she tried to enter the kitchen.
She ran back to the bedroom and awakened her husband, a 34-year-old truck driver for an oil company. They threw Connie through the window, then were barred by heavy smoke from going through the kitchen to reach the bedroom where five youngsters were sleeping.
The parents jumped from the window of their own bedroom. The two youngest children were in their cribs in this room.
Alarm Unheeded
Racing around to the other side of the house. Mr. and Mrs. Gammons frantically tried to waken the five sleeping children. They beat on the closed window and screamed, hoping that George, the eldest and a Boy Scout, would hear them and rescue himself and the others.
But evidently all five already were overcome by smoke, and the parents were forced away by flames and smoke.
"It was definitely a defective carburetor in the oil heater that caused the fire." said Detective Capt. John Carpino.
Repairman Doesn't Come
Carpino said Mrs. Gammons had called a repairman Wednesday to have it fixed. the repairman had not come.
A neighbor woman who called the fire department said she heard a noise "like a shotgun" but authorities were not certain if the sound was the oil stove exploding, a television picture tube blowing out or some other explosion inside the flaming house.
The parents and their only surviving child were reported in fair condition in the hospital. Gammons was in extreme shock and could not be questioned. The girl was placed in an oxygen tent.
The Gammons' home was in a neighborhood occupied largely by factory and railroad employes. However, the house was not far from Fort Wayne's exclusive Indian Village Residential district.
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