Volume 15 , Issue 9

Flames Leap From Air (1922, Alva, Okla.)

On Roostweb site was the following: Friday, 17 Mar 1922, Vol 35, No 48, in Kathy's notes that she had transcribed it with as much legibility as she possibly could.

FLAMES LEAP FROM AIR

This concerns the mystery of many fires in Alva, Oklahoma, in a cottage in the vicinity of 5th & Center Street, which was faffling the Alva officials and residents, March 13. Blue flames, their origin a mystery, burst into being apparently from the air itself, threatened a horrible death to Mrs. Ona Smith, 23 years old, an invalid, who lay paralyzed on a bed in a little cottage in Alva, Oklahoma.

The authorities were completely baffled and the woman cowered in terror. Bedside watchers, were keeping vigil day and night, could only leap to the rescue as the mysterious fires burst out at intervals in bedding, clothing worn by Mrs. Smith, wall draperies or any inflammable material in the room.

Two mattresses had been reduced to smoldering ruins, a calendar on the wall had been ignited, a shawl worn by the invalid had burst into flames and several other blazes started in bedding in the last few days.

The first fire came at midnight, Wednesday. The flames which suddenly leaped up from the bottom of the mattress on the bed, were extinguished by Mrs. Smith's mother, Mrs. Jno. Meyers. Later the mattress caught fire in another spot. Friday, a calendar on the wall blazed. Soon after the carpet ignited. An aunt, Mrs. Mary Wagner, was in the room at the time.

The invalid was removed from the bed to the chair. Her shawl flamed as it touched the floor. All bedding and apparel were removed from the room and a new mattress installed. It burst into flames the next morning, witnessed by several, among them a newspaper reporter.

Dr. C. L. Rogers, who was called in following the first blaze, failed to solve the mystery. Speculation here is rife concerning the reason of the fires. Theories advanced include spiritualism, chemical reaction from urine, and incendiarism. Some witnesses said the fires seemed to start in the air, blue flames jumping and crackling.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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