On December 1st, 1958 a fire started in a trash can in the basement of Our Lady Of The Angels Catholic school, 3820 W. Iowa St. on the west side of Chicago, killing 92 children and 3 nuns. The fire and smoke spread quickly through the school because the door to the second floor hallway had been left open trapping the children and nuns in the classrooms on the upper floors. Access to the only entrance, exit, and fire escape were cut off due to the smoke and flames and the fire trucks were given the address of the church rectory instead of the school wasting precious time. Many children died in the school while some fell to their deaths as they tried to escape through the windows. While there was a rumor of a boy playing with matches, the exact cause of the fire has never been determined. Many of the children who died are buried at the base of this memorial.
On December 1st, 1958 a fire started in a trash can in the basement of Our Lady Of The Angels Catholic school, 3820 W. Iowa St. on the west side of Chicago, killing 92 children and 3 nuns. The fire and smoke spread quickly through the school because the door to the second floor hallway had been left open trapping the children and nuns in the classrooms on the upper floors. Access to the only entrance, exit, and fire escape were cut off due to the smoke and flames and the fire trucks were given the address of the church rectory instead of the school wasting precious time. Many children died in the school while some fell to their deaths as they tried to escape through the windows. While there was a rumor of a boy playing with matches, the exact cause of the fire has never been determined. Many of the children who died are buried at the base of this memorial.
Bio by: Bobby Hart
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