A post on another facebook page reminded me of this sad day; I knew Rodney and DeWayne. I thought of this incident again just the other day. Anyone else remember this? Two Shawnee Township Boys Asphyxiated In Open Manhole by Bob Snodgrass, News Staff Writer Two Shawnee Township youths who climbed into a three-foot diameter manhole sewer tile on Reed Road shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday died there, apparently of asphyxiation, Allen County Coroner Dr. William Noble said today. DeWayne Lee Cauley, 14, son of Eugene H. and Sandra Niehaus Cauley of 3433 S. Dixie Hwy., and Bruce Eric Feltz, 12-year-old son of Thomas E. and Myrna Huffer Feltz of 1889 Reed Rd., suffocated from some unknown substance. An autopsy is to be performed and a ruling will follow, Dr. Noble said. Township firemen and police were summoned to the Reed Road site at about 8:15 p.m. after receiving a telephone call from Joann Andrews who said that she understood that two boys were lying in a ditch apparently unconscious. The Andrews woman was notified by a brother of the Feltz boy, Rodney, 14, who ran to her home yelling for help that his brother and another boy had passed out. However when firemen and police arrived, they discovered the boys were in the 15-foot deep manhole tile. Fireman Vernon Reynolds donned an oxygen mask, climbed into the hole and tied ropes around the boys. Fire Capt. John Feison and police officer Robert Mills aided in hoisting the boys out of the sewer. As Mr. and Mrs. Cauley stood nearby, rescue workers immediately began applying oxygen and artificial respiration to the youths in an effort to revive them, but there was no response. Rescue efforts were continued while the youths were en route to Lima Memorial Hospital in a Bayliff Ambulance, but the boys were pronounced dead on arrival at 8:39 p.m. Rodney told police one of the boys had climbed into the sewer and passed out so the other went in to help him. When the second boy also lost consciousness, Rodney ran for help. The three earlier had been playing baseball together. Fire Chief Art Yoakum said meter readings were taken by his department and a Vistron Corp. employe in an effort to determine if there was some kind of gas in the uncovered sewer. Chief Yoakum said there was less than three per cent oxygen at the bottom of the opening, about 15 feet, 10 inches. The chief said 17 per cent oxygen is needed to sustain life. About three feet down the shaft there was a 10 per cent oxygen reading, he said. A ladder leads from the uncovered top of the manhole to the bottom where it joins with a capped sewer line. The uncovered opening is part of the new sewer system that hasnt been put in use. Many bystanders, most of whom were neighbors or nearby residents, expressed concern over the fact the opening to the manhole did not have a cover of some type to prevent such accidents happening. As rescue workers and passersby began leaving the area, all that remained to be picked up were three baseball gloves belonging to the three boys and a bicycle lying off the southside of the road about 20 feet from the sewer opening. The accident scene is east of the old Ordnance Park on Reed Road. Bruce Feltz was born Nov. 19, 1960, in Lima, and was a fifth grade student at Shawnee Elementary School. He was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church and Boy Scout Troop 37. In addition to his parents, he is survived by four brothers, Carl Edward, Rodney Earl, Mark Errol and Gary Eugene, all at home; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin J. Feltz of Rt. 6, Cridersville; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Regedanz of Cridersville; and maternal great-grandparents, Mrs. Alma Plaugher of Cridersville, Mrs. Ella Huffer of Waynesfield and James Huffer of Arizona. Funeral Mass will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in St. Charles Church by Rev. Leo Lehmkuhl, with burial in Gethsemani Cemetery. Friends may call at Chiles and Sons - Laman Chapel of Memories after 7 tonight. DeWayne Cauley was born March 3, 1959, in Daytona Beach, Fla. He was an eighth grade student at Shawnee Junior High School and attended Meadowbrook Baptist Church. He participated in all sports at the school and was class wrestling champion. Surviving in addition to the parents are a brother, Ward Alan, at home; a sister, Shanda Renee, at home; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Niehaus of 225 S. McPheron; and maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Elberda Hollar of 922 N. Dale Dr. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Chiles and Sons - Laman Chapel of Memories, Rev. David W. Fetzer officiating, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 tonight. (published in The Lima News, Thursday, May 24, 1973, page 1)
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 16:19:04 +0000
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