It’s been a bad couple of weeks for explosions in Amish buildings. Following the Amish schoolhouse explosion in northwestern PA, yesterday a barn and workshop were destroyed in an explosion and fire at an Amish property in Geauga County, Ohio. The cause was reportedly a propane gas leak. A caller reported a “hissing” noise coming from the barn. Fortunately no one was hurt, but based…
Just an awful story out of the New Wilmington, Pennsylvania Amish community. A two-year-old boy has died, after falling into an open septic tank. From New Castle News: The Lawrence County Coroner’s Office and state police investigated the drowning death of a 2-year-old Amish boy who reportedly fell into an open septic tank Saturday. The child, identified as Steven Byler, was discovered deceased around 11…
We’ve got a new update following the March 27 explosion at the Spartansburg, Pennsylvania Amish school which left three girls seriously injured. Two of the girls were aged 6 and 11, and are students at the school, while the third girl, age 17, is their teacher. We learn in the update (shared in full below) that the 11-year-old and 17-year-old are sisters. Following the early-morning…
The first person on the scene of last week’s explosion and fire at a Pennsylvania Amish school gives an account of what she found. We also get an update on how the girls are doing. Here’s the latest from yourerie.com: Kelsey Bova was the first on scene after a fire broke out at the Hidden View Amish School in Sparta Township last week. When she…
A new report at the Erie Times-News confirms the official cause of Friday’s fire and explosion at an Amish school in Crawford County, PA, which left three young girls with serious burns. The ages of the victims have also been released. The cause of the fire was as reported earlier as the wrong sort of fuel being used – but in a woodburning stove (to…
A tragedy has struck an Amish community in northwestern Pennsylvania as an explosion at a schoolhouse set the building on fire this morning – leaving three Amish girls badly burned. (Story updated below) The Amish school is located in the Spartansburg, Pennsylvania community, and appears to have burned to the ground. The girls were believed to have “filled a lantern with the wrong fuel”. From…
While you might not know it given the prevalence of other news stories, the biggest wildfire in Nebraska history is currently raging, having claimed close to 600,000 acres since March 12th. One report from yesterday says it continues to burn out of control. And it’s actually worse than that sounds – because in addition to the biggest-ever fire, a further three major wildfires are currently…
We’re back today with Part 2 of our interview with Laura Graber, who was raised Amish, and taught in an Amish school for four years – starting at age 16. In Part 1, Laura shared how she was able to manage eight grades in one room, and how Amish teachers are chosen, among other topics. In Part 2 of this two-part interview, Laura shares what…
Author Haley Straw returns today with the final part – 8 of 8 – of a new winter-themed series, drawing on one of her more challenging experiences as an Amish taxi driver. Part 1 is here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, and part 5 here, part 6 here, and part 7 here if you missed them. A special thanks to Haley for sharing this story with…
Author Haley Straw returns today with part 7 (of 8 parts) of a new winter-themed series, drawing on one of her more challenging experiences as an Amish taxi driver. Part 1 is here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, and part 5 here, and part 6 here if you missed them. Everyone’s hard work and patience paid off. The families were safe and warm in their relatives’…