BLAZE KILLS ELDERLY UPTERGROVE WOMAN
An elderly Uptergrove woman died in the flaming wreckage of a wheelchair early this morning during a fire which completely destroyed a farmhouse near here. Mara Township firemen probed the ruins of the house for more than an hour before locating the cremated body of Mrs. Elizabeth Clarke, 82, lying beside her wheelchair. Cause of the fierce fire which destroyed the house and its contents is not yet known. Brechin OPP were at the scene to conduct a preliminary investigation.
Joseph Murphy, a bachelor and owner of the farmhouse turned in the alarm about 6:30am. Firemen arrived within minutes, racing from Brechin over bare roads. An extra tank truck was needed to replenish the water supply which frequently ran low during the two-hour blaze. Mrs. Clarke was widow and a semi-
invalid. She was cared for by Mrs Madeline Hill who rented the back part of the house from Mr. Murphy.
The three occupants are believed to have been in the house when the fire broke out. Nothing but a mattress and some bed clothing was saved from the blaze. Mr. Murphy and Miss Hill escaped from the house though details of their flight and attempts to save Mrs. Clarke are as yet unknown.
Coroner Dr. J.R. Phillips of Brechin examined the remains of the body. Ironically, firemen probing the ruins near the body found a package of cigarettes intact.
Note: mother of the Tommy Clarke– Marie (Clarke) Dolan and Alma (Clake) Fountain families