Whether it's a curse or a coincidence, the bizarre pattern of explosions at the intersection of State Road 14 and 17 first started as a tragedy. The Logansport Pharos-Tribune reported that on September 11, 1923, Mabel Sheridan, a 23 year old newlywed, was killed in her home at the junction from a gasoline explosion.
Her husband of six months, Mike Sheridan, had been in Kewanna on business at the time. The lone witness, Mabel's four-year-old niece, Imogene Overmyer, said her aunt had been preparing a fire in her stove when she mistook the gasoline for kerosene.
The child was found outside the home unconcious when Mabel's brother in-law and neighbor Dan Sheridan discovered the scene. Dan retrieved Mabel from the burning home but it was too late. Mabel died within minutes of being pulled from the house.
In a bizarre turn of events, on April 6, 1951 it was reported in the Rochester Sentinel that Dan Sheridan, died from burns after being consumed in a fire. The fire happened near his residence north of Kewanna on State Road 17, near State Road 14.
The elderly, retired farmer had been burning trash across the road, when the fire became out of control. A neighbor, Raymond Urbin, witnessed Dan falling into the flames and ran to the gas station for help. By the time he got help, Dan's clothes were nearly all burnt off.
The Kewanna Fire Department came and put out the blaze, but most of the field was reportedly burned first. Dan died the next morning. At one point in time Dan also used to own and run the gas station that used to be at the intersection as well.
Long time Kewanna resident Terry Engle claims in 1959 a home owned by Robert McClelland had burned down at the junction as well. Terry calls the intersection 'Malfunction Junction.'
The Culver Citizen reported of another fire at the junction on July 1, 1963, that injured seven people. Fumes from an underground gasoline storage tank was lit by a butane water heater causing the explosion of the gas station, that was also a combined grocery store and family home.
The May family of six and family friend Tommy Messer, 37, of DeLong were eating dinner in the living room of the home when flames shot through the building. Murle May, the father, was treated at the hospital in critical condition with burns on over 60% of his body. Two year old Vicky May also had burns on over 60% of her body and was taken to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis in serious, critical condition. Four other May family members Alice, 22, Murlyn, 14, Kathy, 13, and Curtis, 14 months were taken to Woodlawn Hospital and later released.
The next explosion happened in December of 1964 with the same family, at the same location, but this time it was in a 50 foot mobile home. This fire was said to be linked to the home's furnace and happened while the children were inside alone. Their mother had been at work in Rochester and their father, Murle, was jhelping a customer at the gas station.
Vicky May, 4, escaped the fire, but two year old Curtis May suffered burns for the second time in 17 months. It was reported he was taken to Pulaski Memorial Hospital and thankfully survived.
Terry Engle remembers the last fire at the junction being a garage owned by Frank Johnson in the 1990's. Over the decades the junction malfunctions have long been forgotten by most. Those who do remember, see the red flashing light at the intersection of 17&14 as a reminder of what burned there long ago.
(Photo by Terry Engle)
