From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Jan. 25, 1914:

• “Prof. J. B. Whelan, instructor in chemistry at the University of Kansas, was quite painfully burned in a gas explosion which occurred at his home, 1902 Rhode Island street, about midnight last night. Prof. Whelan is suffering considerable pain from burns on his face and hands and it is feared that his features will be marked as a result of the accident…. In some way a spark was formed in a combination gas and electric light fixture and this spark ignited escaping gas causing the explosion. Prof. Whelan did not know of the gas leak at the time and was repairing the electric fixture when the wires were crossed and the gas ignited.”
• “A fire caused by gasoline did $500 damage to a motorcycle garage belonging to Walter S. Dyche at 1014 Massachusetts street about 9:30 this morning. A check valve on a brazier with which the proprietor was working failed to operate and a spray of gasoline was thrown over him. This generated gas quickly which was ignited by a stove. Dyche was not burned but E. E. Knowles, an employee, had his hair and eyebrows singed when he rushed into the burning building in an attempt to save a motorcycle.”
• “In attempting to catch the fire wagon this morning while it was making the run to the Dyche shop, Wilhelm Schulmeyer, a fireman, missed his hold and fell under the wagon. One of the wheels passed over his foot and severely injured that member. However, it is not thought that any bones were broken and it is not anticipated that the injury will prove at all serious.”