Died at 11 months old
Shirley is in the casket with her mother, Wanda.
Five in Family Perish in Fire in their Home in North County
St. Louis Post Dispatch
May 16, 1959
They moved into Riverview Gardens House Three Weeks Ago.
Cause of Blaze not known
Robert Bennett, his wife and three children were killed early today in a fire that swept through their five-room frame home at 447 Scenic drive, Riverview Gardens.
Firemen said that blaze stared in the living room from an undetermined cause. Coroner Raymond I Harris of St. Louis County attributed the deaths to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by lack of oxygen.
A neighbor, George Kieffler, 459 Scenic, saw flames on the roof about 3 o'clock this morning when he was returning home from his job at Wagner Electric Co.
Kieffler told his wife to call the fire department and then tried unsuccessfully to get a response from the Bennett's. When Riverview Gardens firemen arrived, they found most of the home in flames. The blaze had melted aluminum awnings.
Tried to Save Children
The parents apparently had tried to rescue the children authorities said. The bodies of Bennett and his wife were found in a room in which a son, Robert Jr, 2 years old, had been sleeping.
The boy's body was on the bed. Mrs. Bennett was lying across the bed, clasping the body of a daughter, Shirley, 11 months. The baby's crib was in the doorway of another room, indicating the parents had picked up the child after trying to remove the crib.
In the room in which Shirley had been sleeping was found the body of another child, Diane, 9 years old daughter of Bennett by a previous marriage.
Coroner Harris said that except for slight burns on the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, the flames had not touched members of the family; however, the fire had completely burned out the front section of the house.
Bought Home Recently
Fire Chief Joseph Gottwald of Riverview Gardens estimated damage at $3500 to the building and contents. His department which sent three pieces of equipment to the fire, had the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, he said.
The Bennett's had recently purchased the home and moved into it only three weeks ago from 8117A Norwood avenue.
Shirley is in the casket with her mother, Wanda.
Five in Family Perish in Fire in their Home in North County
St. Louis Post Dispatch
May 16, 1959
They moved into Riverview Gardens House Three Weeks Ago.
Cause of Blaze not known
Robert Bennett, his wife and three children were killed early today in a fire that swept through their five-room frame home at 447 Scenic drive, Riverview Gardens.
Firemen said that blaze stared in the living room from an undetermined cause. Coroner Raymond I Harris of St. Louis County attributed the deaths to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by lack of oxygen.
A neighbor, George Kieffler, 459 Scenic, saw flames on the roof about 3 o'clock this morning when he was returning home from his job at Wagner Electric Co.
Kieffler told his wife to call the fire department and then tried unsuccessfully to get a response from the Bennett's. When Riverview Gardens firemen arrived, they found most of the home in flames. The blaze had melted aluminum awnings.
Tried to Save Children
The parents apparently had tried to rescue the children authorities said. The bodies of Bennett and his wife were found in a room in which a son, Robert Jr, 2 years old, had been sleeping.
The boy's body was on the bed. Mrs. Bennett was lying across the bed, clasping the body of a daughter, Shirley, 11 months. The baby's crib was in the doorway of another room, indicating the parents had picked up the child after trying to remove the crib.
In the room in which Shirley had been sleeping was found the body of another child, Diane, 9 years old daughter of Bennett by a previous marriage.
Coroner Harris said that except for slight burns on the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, the flames had not touched members of the family; however, the fire had completely burned out the front section of the house.
Bought Home Recently
Fire Chief Joseph Gottwald of Riverview Gardens estimated damage at $3500 to the building and contents. His department which sent three pieces of equipment to the fire, had the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, he said.
The Bennett's had recently purchased the home and moved into it only three weeks ago from 8117A Norwood avenue.
Died at 11 months old
Shirley is in the casket with her mother, Wanda.
Five in Family Perish in Fire in their Home in North County
St. Louis Post Dispatch
May 16, 1959
They moved into Riverview Gardens House Three Weeks Ago.
Cause of Blaze not known
Robert Bennett, his wife and three children were killed early today in a fire that swept through their five-room frame home at 447 Scenic drive, Riverview Gardens.
Firemen said that blaze stared in the living room from an undetermined cause. Coroner Raymond I Harris of St. Louis County attributed the deaths to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by lack of oxygen.
A neighbor, George Kieffler, 459 Scenic, saw flames on the roof about 3 o'clock this morning when he was returning home from his job at Wagner Electric Co.
Kieffler told his wife to call the fire department and then tried unsuccessfully to get a response from the Bennett's. When Riverview Gardens firemen arrived, they found most of the home in flames. The blaze had melted aluminum awnings.
Tried to Save Children
The parents apparently had tried to rescue the children authorities said. The bodies of Bennett and his wife were found in a room in which a son, Robert Jr, 2 years old, had been sleeping.
The boy's body was on the bed. Mrs. Bennett was lying across the bed, clasping the body of a daughter, Shirley, 11 months. The baby's crib was in the doorway of another room, indicating the parents had picked up the child after trying to remove the crib.
In the room in which Shirley had been sleeping was found the body of another child, Diane, 9 years old daughter of Bennett by a previous marriage.
Coroner Harris said that except for slight burns on the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, the flames had not touched members of the family; however, the fire had completely burned out the front section of the house.
Bought Home Recently
Fire Chief Joseph Gottwald of Riverview Gardens estimated damage at $3500 to the building and contents. His department which sent three pieces of equipment to the fire, had the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, he said.
The Bennett's had recently purchased the home and moved into it only three weeks ago from 8117A Norwood avenue.
Shirley is in the casket with her mother, Wanda.
Five in Family Perish in Fire in their Home in North County
St. Louis Post Dispatch
May 16, 1959
They moved into Riverview Gardens House Three Weeks Ago.
Cause of Blaze not known
Robert Bennett, his wife and three children were killed early today in a fire that swept through their five-room frame home at 447 Scenic drive, Riverview Gardens.
Firemen said that blaze stared in the living room from an undetermined cause. Coroner Raymond I Harris of St. Louis County attributed the deaths to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by lack of oxygen.
A neighbor, George Kieffler, 459 Scenic, saw flames on the roof about 3 o'clock this morning when he was returning home from his job at Wagner Electric Co.
Kieffler told his wife to call the fire department and then tried unsuccessfully to get a response from the Bennett's. When Riverview Gardens firemen arrived, they found most of the home in flames. The blaze had melted aluminum awnings.
Tried to Save Children
The parents apparently had tried to rescue the children authorities said. The bodies of Bennett and his wife were found in a room in which a son, Robert Jr, 2 years old, had been sleeping.
The boy's body was on the bed. Mrs. Bennett was lying across the bed, clasping the body of a daughter, Shirley, 11 months. The baby's crib was in the doorway of another room, indicating the parents had picked up the child after trying to remove the crib.
In the room in which Shirley had been sleeping was found the body of another child, Diane, 9 years old daughter of Bennett by a previous marriage.
Coroner Harris said that except for slight burns on the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, the flames had not touched members of the family; however, the fire had completely burned out the front section of the house.
Bought Home Recently
Fire Chief Joseph Gottwald of Riverview Gardens estimated damage at $3500 to the building and contents. His department which sent three pieces of equipment to the fire, had the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, he said.
The Bennett's had recently purchased the home and moved into it only three weeks ago from 8117A Norwood avenue.
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