Ottawa couple recovering from house fire injuries

Franklin County EMS and Ottawa firefighters assist Cheryl Montgomery, center, as they prepare to transport her and her husband, left, to Ransom Memorial Hospital.

Ottawa — A Thursday morning fire engulfed the mobile home of two Ottawa residents, who are recovering at a University of Kansas Hospital burn unit in Kansas City, Kan.

The Ottawa Herald reported Friday that James R. Montgomery III rescued his wife and extinguished the flames on her body in a mud puddle. The newspaper reported that Montgomery and his wife, Cheryl, suffered burns to the upper portions of their bodies.

Both were transported to Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa and later moved to Kansas City. A University of Kansas Hospital spokesman would not release their conditions Friday because of patient privacy laws.

Firefighters were dispatched at 8:19 a.m., and the fire was under control by 9:52 a.m., said Ottawa Fire Chief Jeff Carner.

Damage estimates weren’t available Friday, but Carner said the fire was devastating.

The flames probably began in the living room while the couple were in the bedroom, Carner said. Investigators believe the fire was accidental, he said.

Hazard

Explosive material found at city waste facility

City officials called a federal bomb squad to the city’s household hazardous waste facility Tuesday when a small container of a potentially explosive chemical was found among a larger load of discarded materials.

A team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives detonated the container of crystallized picric acid in a sand storage pile at Douglas County Public Works Facility, 711 E. 23rd St.

Mollie Mangerich, who supervises the facility, said the person who left the picric acid had not been identified, but the act did not appear intentional.

Picric acid is used for explosives manufacturing and also to make dyes.

“I’m sure they were clueless,” Mangerich said of the person who left the acid behind.

The news became public Friday, when it was included in a memorandum accompanying the Lawrence City Commission agenda.

“If the public would have been in danger, they would have been notified,” Assistant City Manager Debbie Van Saun said. “I don’t think it was a situation where the public at large was in danger.”

Transportation

County Road 1029 reopens to traffic

A rebuilt road to Lecompton is open once again for traffic.

Douglas County Road 1029, which connects Lecompton and the Farmers Turnpike northwest of Lawrence, reopened Friday morning, after a $2 million overhaul.

The 2.75-mile stretch had been closed since March 22. Now it has wider lanes, paved shoulders, gentler roadside ditches, lower hills and less-pronounced dips — changes designed to improve safety for drivers along the two-lane road.

Perry-based Hamm Cos. handled the construction job, which reached “substantial completion” at least two months ahead of schedule, said Keith Browning, county engineer and director of public works.

Gasoline prices

Pump Patrol seeks deals

The Journal-World has found gasoline prices as low as $1.68 a gallon at Dillons, 3000 W. Sixth St.

If you find a lower price, please call Pump Patrol at 832-7154.