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DALLAS MORNING NEWS Fire toll spurts as city fireman, 3 children killed By James Ewell A "suspicious" blaze Thursday killed a Dallas fireman hours after an Oak Cliff apartment complex fire took the lives of three children. The fatalities put the fire toll at eight for a 13 day period, a period fire officials termed one of the deadliest in years. Firemen fighting a 3 alarm blaze at an East Dallas bar, the Log Tavern, 3710 Samuell, found fireman Benny G. Carroll, 39, in a back portion and rushed him to Baylor Hospital where he was dead on arrival of smoke inhalation. ARSON INVESTIGATORS termed the tavern blaze "suspicious" but withheld further comment. Four hours earlier, firemen found the bodies of three children after rescuing two other children from their burning second floor apartment in the Robin Village Apartments at 2634 52nd Street. The victims were identified as Kenneth Hunter, 11, Tanya Hunter, 5, and Quinton Hunter, 3. Admitted in fair condition to Parkland Hospital were Jackie Hunter, 9, and Lawanda Hunter, 6. Firemen said the blaze was discovered before the children's mother, Mrs. Mary Louise Young, arrived home from her evening shift job at the Casa Blanca Hospital. The children's aunt, Mrs. James Young, told firemen she heard "popping noises" and stepped out on the porch of her apartment and spotted smoke pouring out a living room window of the children's apartment above her own shortly before 11 a.m. Mrs. Young said her husband ran up to the apartment and was hurled back by a ball of flame as he opened the door. FIREMEN WERE MET by residents screaming that children were trapped. Fireman David Ward of No. 25 station set a ladder up to a bedroom window on the backside of the apartment and clambered into the room without benefit of a smoke mask. Firemen said Ward found the two surviving children on a bed near the window and passed them out into the arms of other firefighters. "He did a tremendous job," said a fire department spokesman. The body of the youngest victim was later found on the floor at the foot of the same bed. The body of the 11 year old boy was found in the kitchen and the third victim was found in another bedroom. Investigator Jim Cooper said theories that the blaze was caused by a defective television set or by the younger children playing with matches were being explored. The fireman's death was the first in line of duty since 1964 when four Dallas Firemen were killed battling a 5 alarm blaze in a downtown restaurant, fire officials said. He was the father of three and lived in Rowlett at 3010 Main. Carroll, a 16 year veteran, responded to the tavern blaze with No. 19 truck company after a taxi driver saw flames and alerted his dispatcher shortly before 2:30 a.m. FIRE OFFICIALS said the blaze was almost contained when firemen working their way through the smoke found Carroll lying against a wall about 40 feet from the west rear exit. Investigators said there was speculation among Carroll's crew that he entered the building on reports that another fireman was trapped. Chief investigator J. E. Tuna said the heaviest penetration of the blaze was in an area near the west entrance. Investigators were seen carrying a piece of the flooring pulled up from this area out to their car, but Tuna declined to say whether arson was suspected. Asked whether he was "suspicious," Tuna answered, "That's it precisely, suspicious." OCTOBER 11, 1975 CARROLL Benny G., 3010 Main Street, Rowlett. Survived by sons, John and Jerry Carroll; daughter, Misty Carroll; parents, Mr. And Mrs. Lewis B. Carroll, Dallas; brothers, William Lewis Carroll, Houston, Teddy Bruce Carroll, Garland; sisters, Mrs. Maxine Wyatt, Menard, Texas, Mrs. Wanda June Hill, Chino Lake, California, Mrs. Madeline Karpeski, Dallas. Services 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Monica Park Christian Church, Garland, Rev. Richard Nelson officiating. Interment Restland Pallbearers: R. P. Morgan, C. S. Singleton, I. V. Patterson, J. W. Rupe, C. M. Miller, G. W. Hunt. Honorary pallbearers: Bob Wade, members of the Dallas Fire Department and members of Garland Kiwanin Club WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME Garland 276-5000 |
