Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Jones, Keith D. July 15, 1955 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patricia Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net August 20, 2021, 2:40 pm Ionia Sentinel Standard-July 15, 1955 Blast Kills Child At Portland One small boy was instantly killed and another critically injured about 2 p.m. on the Looking Glass bridge at Portland next to the Valley City Milling Company the result of an unidentified explosion today. Dead is Keith Jones, about nine years of age and the son of Mr and Mrs Guy Jones of Portland. Critically injured and not expected to live is Billy Gorman, about 10 who has been staying with his aunt and uncle Mr and Mrs Charles Munger of Portland village fire chief. Employees of the Vally City Milling Company said they heard a "terrible explosion" about 2 p.m. and saw a sheet of blue flame on the Portland bridge which spans the Looking Glass river just behind the mill. No one was able to determine what caused the explosion but when heavy smoke cleared from the bridge office employees of the mill, who had run to the explosion point on the bridge, found the mangled bodies of the two boys. The Gorman boy was taken by ambulance to St. Lawrence hospital at Lansing. He is not expected to live. Mill officials said they believed the boys must have been carrying some type of high explosive. An Ionia county coroner from Ionia was sent to the bridge about 2:30 p.m. Friday. The detonators were packed 50 in a box, each in an individual slot. They were stored in cartons of 500. Although officials did not enter the vault Friday afternoon many opened cartons and boxes could be seen on the floor of the vault. Company officials informed officers that each detonator was equivalent to four dynamite caps. Company employees and officers searched the area around the bridge and found many of the detonators under the bridge and in the water. A warning was issued immediately by state police to keep people away from the area. A guard was placed near the vault. Each detonator is only about the size of a lead pencil and about on-half inch long. They are green on one end and red on the other. Mr. Hoenicke of the Barley-Earhard firm, stated that a mere scratch of the fingernail on the red surface would cause the explosion to occur. A.C. Barley informed Sheriff Van Vleck that his company had finished a government contract for fuses for the chemical corps about one years ago. During World War II the firm inserted detonators in hand grenades. Officers were also informed that the vault is inspected eery Sunday by a company employe. Barley said he has been corresponding with the government for some time trying to arrange for some disposition of the explosives. The carton of 500 were stamped to show that they were loaded September 8, 1953. St.Lawrence hospital office workers stated Saturday morning that the Gorman boy was in "very critical condition." One leg had been amputated and both arms were badly lacerated. They also stated that on eye had been lost and possibly the other. Funeral services for Keith Douglas Jones will be conducted from the Neller funeral home Monday at 2 o'clock. He will be buried in the Portland cemetery. He was born May 22, 1946, at Portland the son of Mr and Mrs Guy Jones. Surviving besides his parents are grandparents, Mr and Mrs Sam Burman of Portland and a grandfather, Rufus Jones of Balsam, N.C. Explosion Result of Detonators July 16, 1955 Ionia Sentinel Standard One Portland boy is dead and another maimed as the result of a explosion Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock on the Divine avenue bridge. Dead is Keith Jones, 9, son of Mr and Mrs Guy Jones. He was their only child. In critical condition at the St. Lawrence hospital is Billy Gorman 11. He is the son of Mrs. Frank Zimmerman of Alma. He was visiting at the home of his aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Charles Munger. The explosion, which occurred midway on the 100 foot steel bridge, was heard for several blocks,. Chief of Police Ja Clark heard it from his home and rushed to the downtown district. Apparently no one saw the boys on the bridge just previous to the explosion. Immediately after the terrifying blast employees of the Portland Milling Co., which is located at the south end of the bridge saw a a sheet of blue flame. First to reach the scene was Fred Rowe Jr. Milling company official. He told Sheriff Peter Van Vleck, state police and village officials that he ran onto the bridge and as soon as the smoke cleared away found the two youngsters. The boys were on a walk which was separated from the vehicle traveled portion of the bridge by a steel partition approximately four feet high. On the outer side of the walk is a grated railing. The boys were against the steel partition which was blackened for some distance. The Jones boy was on his side and the Gorman boy was crouched over and straightened up when he approached, Rowe said. Portions of their bodies were found along the walk. L.F. Hoenicke, in charge of maintenance for the Barley-Earhart Corp., was second to arrive at the scene. The plant is located on the north side of the bridge and the west side of the road. The explosives were identified by him s coming from the Barley-Earhart explosive vault located about 500 feet behind the plant. As soon as Rowe saw the extent of the injuries he immediately returned to his office and asked that doctors and an ambulance be called. Doctors' Fox and Messenger arrived soon and ordered both boys be taken to St. Lawrence hospital in Lansing. They were taken by the Neller ambulance and Keith Jones was dead upon arrival. Hospital officials informed state police at 4:30 Friday afternoon that Gorman was in surgery at that time. As soon as officials completed their investigation at the bridge they went in the Barley-Earhart plant and officials took them to the vault where the highly explosive detonators were kept. The vault is constructed of concrete and was used during World War II and since to store explosives used in connection with government orders received by the company. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/j/jones40769nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb