August 1950: Boys Die in Tunnel Cave-In
This article from August 1950 tells the story of two local boys who were killed in a tunnel cave-in in Natick.
The following is the text from an August 1950 article in the Natick Bulletin, as found in the Morse Institute Library collection. The photograph to the right is of the actual newspaper article.
Funeral services were held Saturday for Allan Webb, 13, and Bruce Durgin, 12, who were killed Thursday afternoon on the shores of Lake Cochituate when a tunnel they were in collapsed.
The two boys, together with Bruce's Cousin, Peter Burrel, 12, and Marsha Webb, 7, sister of Allan, had gone across the lake from their Speen street homes to a sand bank near Kansas street. The boys had a twelve-foot tunnel there which they were in when the roof collapsed.
Marsha, who had remained outside the tunnel, attracted Philip Hall of 38 Kansas street with her cries for help, and together they were able to free the Burrel boy, who was buried up to his neck.
They next dug until they found the body of Durgin to whom artificial respiration was applied. Leaving Burrel to continue giving artificial respiration, Hall ran to his home for a shovel and to notify police and firemen. Mary Flynn of 25 Second street, a registered nurse, went back to the scene with Hall to assist in rescue operations.
Police and firemen responded to the alarm and shortly after their arrival the body of the Webb boy was recovered. Resuscitators from the fire department ambulance and the Natick Ambulance Service were used in attempts to rivive the two boys, but to no avail. The boys were pronounced dead by Medical Examiner Michael Burke.
Funeral services for Allen Webb were held were held from his late home at 8:15 Saturday morning with a mass at St. Patrick's church at 9. Interment was in St. Patrick's cemetery in charge of Arthur H. Doherty.
He was a student at the Coolidge junior high school and a member of the high school band. Surviving besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Webb, 186 Speen street, and two brothers, Warren and Dean, and a sister Marsha.
Services for Bruce Durgin were held Saturday afternoon, at the First Congregationa church, Rev. John MacNeil of the Grace Congregational church of Framingham officiating. Interent was in Edgell cemetery, Framingham Centre, in charge of the Mitchell Funeral Service.
He was also a student at the Coolidge Junior high school and a member of the band. Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Durgin, 184 Speen street.
