Northcutt - Thomas - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Lafayette, Feb. 12—Thomas Northcutt, of this city, arose this morning at 4:20 o’clock and lighted a match to look at his watch when a terrific explosion of natural gas ensued. The front and back part of the house were blown out and instantly afterward Northcutt was thrown out in blazing night clothes and badly burned. Two youngsters escaped unharmed from the upper window. Arthur Jenners and family occupied one half of the same house. His children, Mary and Silas, were badly burned, from the effects of which the latter died at 1:15 this afternoon. The flames extended to the residence of Clarence Severson, adjoining, which was also destroyed. A leak in the street service pipe for some time had been neglected and the ground had become so permeated with gas that it burns when a match is touched to it anywhere about. This was the cause of the explosion.