Kirchhofer, Irene (1912-1941)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1941 Feb 25 p. 14

Birth date: 1912

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1941 Jan 29 p. 1

Fire in Country Home Results in Death of One Member of Family

FIRE BREAKS OUT WHILE FAMILY IS ASLEEP; IRENE KIRCHHOFER BURNED TO DEATH

Berne, Ind., Jan 27. — One of the most tragic fires that ever was reported in this community occurred last mid-night when fire that totally destroyed the Amos Kirchhofer country home, located three and one-half miles south and two miles west of Berne, claimed the life of Miss Irene, 29, daughter of Amos Kirchhofer.

The charred remains of the body had not been recovered at 2 o'clock this afternoon, but Coroner J. J. Yager and others were still searching the ruins.

Only prompt work and quick thinking saved a worse tragedy which would have claimed Mr. Kirchhofer, his son Wilbur, his wife and their three-year-old son, Jimmy.

The first tangible evidence of the body of Miss Irene Kirchhofer, who perished in the home of her father at midnight last night, were found shortly after 3:30 o'clock this afternoon, when searchers in the basement started to uncover vertebrae, ribs and other bone fragments. It appeared that the body was completely cremated.

Searchers, including neighbors, were working eagerly in the smoking debris to find traces of the body. Buckets of cold water would be thrown and after the steam cleared, the debris would be shoved out and examined bit by bit.

The bones were found in the northwest room of the cellar directly in front of the furnace. This would indicate that Miss Kirchhofer tried to flee the death-dealing flames. it was surmised that she endeavored to get to the stairway but was overcome by smoke, fell and was consumed by the flames.

Again it was thought that she might have fled to the east part of the home into the bedroom vacated by Wilbur and his family, and, in so doing, ran away from the help that her brother was trying to give in the southwest part of the home.

The origin of the fire was not definitely placed, some members of the family being of the opinion that the fire might have started from the furnace in the basement or defective wiring. — Berne Witness.