Three children were saved when flames destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Vials of Sunshine community on Route 335, about five miles south of Minford, at 11:30 a.m. today. Mrs. Vitas entered the flamed house and carried the baby safety from a second floor bedroom. Two children 5 and 3 years old, followed Mrs. Viars.Unaware that the children followed her Mrs. Viars believed for more than an hour that they were lost in the fire.
The Minford volunteer fire department redoubled its efforts and firemen exposed themselves to heat and flames in a search for the children.
After the fire was controlled the children were found hiding in a cornfield nearby.
They explained they followed their mother down the stairs, dashed out of the house to escape the from the heat and fled into the cornfield where they remained until the fire was controlled.
Mrs. Viars reported a fire was burning in a coal range and she went to the home of a neighbor, John Williams, for a bucket of water. Returning home, she noticed fire in the upstairs.
Mrs. Viars ran to the home, dashed up the stairs and grabbed the baby. Flames prevented her from re-entering the house.
Firemen found remains of the family dog, which perished in the fire. Assistant
Chief Marion Bennett and Capt. Floyd Powell were in charge of 10 volunteer
firemen who responded. Three wells were pumped dry.The six room house was destroyed. Loss was estimated at $3,500. Mr. Viars, who is unemployed, was in New Boston when the fire occurred.