Mary Britt, 16, Dies of Burns Sustained When Dress Caught Fire Jan. 16, 1926

Miss Mary Britt Dies from Burns. . . Clothing Caught from Fire in Open Fireplace After Young Girl had Administered to Her Invalid Mother—Lint-Covered Dress Aids Hungry Flames—Nearly Entire Body Burned—Two Quilts Burn Through Before Flames Stop. . . Funeral Services Yesterday

Miss Mary Birtt, 16 years old, died late Saturday afternoon in the Baker sanatorium of burns received Wednesday, as mentioned in Thursday’s Robesonian, when her clothing ignited as she stood in front of an open fireplace in the home of her parents in West Lumberton.

The accident was one of the most tragic occurring in the county in years. According to Mr. Dock Britt, father of the unfortunate girl, she went to work in the National Cotton Mill at 6 o’clock in the morning and, following her usual custom, returned to her home at 8 o’clock to render aid to her invalid mother. After turning her mother into a more comfortable position the thinly-clad girl in front of the open fireplace eating a hurriedly prepared breakfast. On her percale dress were particles of lint from the spinning room, where she worked to help support and comfort her mother, who for 11 years has been helpless. The thin and flimsy dress ignited from the flames in the fireplace, and before the girl had time to realize what had happened, she was enveloped in smothering tongues of fire. Quickly she jumped into a bed occupied by Miss Minnie Tyler, boarder in the home, and wrapped herself in quilts and blankets in an effort to extinguish the flames. Miss Tyler rendered all possible assistance, but the hungry flames could not be subdued before two of the quits had burned through.

A physician was soon on the scene and rendered first aid, and the girl was rushed to the sanitarium, where physicians pronounced her case hopeless. With the exception of her feet and ankles, two small places on her shoulder and one arm, her entire body was burned.

Mr. Britt, when informed early Saturday afternoon that his daughter’s condition was not as well as it had been, told The Robesonian he knew she was passing away, and spoke beautifully of her devotion to her mother. In less than an hour the girl had been relieved of her pain.

Funeral services were conducted yesterday, a large crowd attending.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C., Monday, Jan. 18, 1926

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