SMITH, AARON DUANE - Benton County, Arkansas | AARON DUANE SMITH - Arkansas Gravestone Photos

Aaron Duane SMITH

Mount Pleasant (Hiwasse) Cemetery
Benton County,
Arkansas

Aaron
July 18, 1968 - December 4, 1970

Brian
August 2, 1969 - December 4, 1970

*Obituary
Northwest Arkansas Times
Friday, December 4, 1970

Two Small Children Killed
In Bentonville Home Fire

BENTONVILLE - Two small boys died early today in a fire that gutted their frame home here. They were identified as Aaron Duane Smith, 29 months, and his 16-month-old brother, Brian Keith.

The children's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Smith, were hospitalized with burns but were expected to he released later today.

Bob Burns, a neighbor, was the first person on the scene and with fireman Jerry Griffin entered the smoldering house and brought the children's bodies out.

Smith was found lying on the front yard and was taken to Bates Memorial Hospital by ambulance. Mrs. Smith was taken to the hospital by Police Chief Craig Holt, the second person on the scene.

The home, at 305 NW I Street, was owned by Ralph Geiger and was described as a four-room frame building, located on a large lot. No nearby houses were threatened.

Officials speculated that the fire, which began in the living room, probably due to faulty wiring, blocked the parents' efforts to rescue the children.

Firemen received the alarm at 4:20 a.m. as a reported car fire. Burns said he had a radio in his car and when he arrived and saw the house involved he radioed firemen and hoses were ready when the fire truck arrived.

HOUSE GUTTED

Burns, a volunteer fireman, said the house was gutted and the family lost all its belongings. Mrs. Smith was wearing only a slip and Smith undershorts when they were hospitalized.

A drive his been started by Bentonville firemen to collect clothing for the couple. Burns said Walter Buchanan, minister of the Bentonville Church of Christ, is preparing clothing from the church's stores to enable the couple to be dismissed from the hospital.

Burns said the children's bodies were taken to Callison-McKinney Funeral Home by Benton County coroner Carl McKinney.

Contributed on 10/2/09 by wfields55
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Record #: 243155

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Submitted: 10/2/09 • Approved: 8/23/18 • Last Updated: 8/26/18 • R243155-G243155-S3

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