Whole Family Found Victims of Gas Leak

1920

Seven Die When Pipe Breaks Under Canadian Home

OTTAWA, Ont., Canada, Jan. 1. — Gas escaping from a pipe which broke underneath their home during the night destroyed all seven members of the family of Pierre Cardinal, a well-known riding-master. When the house was found locked and the horses in Cardinal's livery and boarding stable unfed about noon of the day following, an investigation was instituted and five of the family, Cardinal, a daughter aged 17, and three younger children, were found already dead.

The mother died on the way to the hospital, but a boy of 15 years lingered until twenty-four hours later when he died from pleuro-pneumonia developed shortly after he reached the hospital.

The gas company alleged that the accident had been caused by sills of the house sagging and straining the gas pipe, after Cardinal had made some alterations to the foundation. The carpenter, Louis Barthiaume, who helped Cardinal do the work, declares that the pipe was discovered in a dangerous condition before the house was disturbed.