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THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS Blast Kills Fireman in West Dallas A 55-gallon kerosene barrel, ignited by a house fire in West Dallas, exploded Friday and killed City Firefighter Andrew Avery Schellenberg, 34. Schellenberg, the first fireman in six years to lose his life on duty, was hit by the hurtling metal drum and knocked twenty-one feet by the impact. Deputy Sheriff F. M. Buckalew sped Schellenberg in Parkland Hospital by squad car, but the big fireman was dead on arrival. Buckalew himself, who was standing seventy-five feet from the drum when it blew up, said he was almost forced to his knees by the blast concussion. The fire, at 3509 Canada Drive, near North Westmoreland, razed a frame residence and inflicted about $400 worth of damage on a house next door. Buckalew and Deputy H. F. Dahn said the fire started when two small boys saturated weeds and grass in the back yard with kerosene from the barrel, and set the foliage afire. They tried to beat the flames down with sticks, but the sticks caught fire and ignited refuse around the house. Schellenberg, second driver of Engine Company 26, arrived with his unit. He was thirty three feet from the kerosene drum when it exploded. Both ends of the drum were blown out, but the cylinder hit him about the head and shoulders with terrific force, knocking him into midstreet. A fire truck eighteen feet behind Schellenberg was hit by the drum and severely dented. Schellenberg, who lived at 1006 South Franklin, had been with the fire department since Jan. 7, 1941, except for four and one half years with the Navy during World War II. He was a native of Dallas. He was a graduate of the John Henry Brown School and the Forest Avenue High School. He was a member of the Sunset Presbyterian Church, the Sons of Hermann, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Circle Ten Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the American Red Cross and the Lida Hooe School Dad's club. Surviving are his wife; two sons, Andrew A. Schellenberg Jr. And Stephen Schellenberg; his mother, Mrs. Mary C. Schellenberg, and four brothers, Woodrow H. Schellenberg. Albert F. Schellenberg, Roy H. Schellenberg and Robert Schellenberg. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 3:30 pm at Lamar and Smith Funeral Home, 800 West Jefferson. The Rev. Paul F. Bobb will conduct services. The Sons of Hermann will conduct graveside rites at laurel land Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be W. A. Cope, G. D. Lilly, E. V. Stewart, L. A. Milke, J. W. Lattimer and H. L. Russell, all fellow firemen. MAY 6, 1951 Blast Kills Fireman in West Dallas A 55 gallon kerosene barrel ignited by a house fire in West Dallas, exploded Friday and killed City firefighter Andrew Avery Schellenberg, 34. Schellenberg, the first fireman in six years to lose his life on duty, was hit by the hurtling metal drum and knocked twenty-one feet by the impact. Deputy Sheriff F. M. Buckalew sped Schellenberg to Parkland Hospital by squad car, but the big fireman was dead on arrival. Buckalew himself who was standing seventy five feet from the drum when it blew up, said he was almost forced to his knees by the blast concussion. The fire, at 3509 Canada Drive, near North Westmoreland, razed a frame residence and inflicted about $400 worth of damage on a house next door. Buckalew and Deputy H. F. Dahn said the fire started when two small boys saturated weeds and grass in the back yard with kerosene from the barrel and set the foliage afire. They tried to beat the flames down with sticks, but the sticks caught fire and ignited refuse around the house. Schellenberg, second driver of Engine Company 26, arrived with his unit. He was thirty three feet from the kerosene drum when it exploded. Both ends of the drum were blown out, but the cylinder hit him about the head and shoulders with terrific force, knocking him into midstreet. A fire truck eighteen feet behind Schellenberg was hit by the drum and severely dented. Schellenberg, who lived at 1006 South Franklin, had been with the fire department since Jan. 7, 1941, except for four and one half years with the Navy during World War II. He was a native of Dallas. He was a graduate of the John Henry Brown School and the Forest Avenue High School. Surviving are his wife; two sons, Andrew A. Schellenberg Jr. And Stephen Schellenberg; his mother, Mrs. Mary C. Schellenberg, and four brothers, Woodrow H. Schellenberg, Albert F. Schellenberg, Roy H. Schellenberg and Robert Schellenberg. Funeral services were held Saturday at Lamar and Smith Funeral Home, 800 West Jefferson. |