The Daily Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
November 17, 1916

Drumright Swept By $100,000 Blaze

Gas Explosion Results in the Destruction of Two Blocks of Buildings

Drumright, Okla.; Nov 16 (Special) Fire caused by an explosion of gas in a rooming house this afternoon destroyed two blocks of business buildings here, the lost, including furniture and merchandise, totalling $100,000. All the buildings were frame and very few of the structures with their contents were insured. A gas pipe had just been connected with a stove in the Carr rooming house and when a woman attempted to light the stove the explosion occurred. The explosion, it is said, was due to a faulty "air and gas mixer."

The losses include the Carr rooming house, Sam Shanbour's shoe store; Palace of Sweets; Silver Moon cafe; H. T. Johnson's dry goods store, a barber shop, Arcade rooming house, George Eleias' second hand store and storage house, Busy Bee Bakery, J. W. Speigle, proprietor; rooming house above bakery; second hand store, George Smythe, proprietor, and a barber shop and storage house.

A fireman was slightly injured during the fire. The flames burned to a brick wall, and die out.