On Monday, December 1, 1958, a fire broke out at Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, Illinois, shortly before classes were to be dismissed for the day. The fire originated in the basement near the foot of a stairway.
The elementary school was operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago and had an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students.
A total of 92 pupils and three nuns died when smoke, heat, fire and toxic gases cut off their normal means of egress through corridors and stairways.
Many more were injured when they jumped from second-floor windows which, because the building had a raised basement, were nearly as high as a third floor would be on level ground (c. 25 ft.).[1]
The disaster was the lead headline story in American, Canadian and European newspapers. Pope John XXIII sent his condolences from the Vatican in Rome.
The severity of the fire shocked the nation and surprised educational administrators of both public and private schools. The disaster led to major improvements in standards for school design and fire safety codes.
For complete story, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Angels_School_fire
Contributor: mm (50950498)
The elementary school was operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago and had an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students.
A total of 92 pupils and three nuns died when smoke, heat, fire and toxic gases cut off their normal means of egress through corridors and stairways.
Many more were injured when they jumped from second-floor windows which, because the building had a raised basement, were nearly as high as a third floor would be on level ground (c. 25 ft.).[1]
The disaster was the lead headline story in American, Canadian and European newspapers. Pope John XXIII sent his condolences from the Vatican in Rome.
The severity of the fire shocked the nation and surprised educational administrators of both public and private schools. The disaster led to major improvements in standards for school design and fire safety codes.
For complete story, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Angels_School_fire
Contributor: mm (50950498)
On Monday, December 1, 1958, a fire broke out at Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, Illinois, shortly before classes were to be dismissed for the day. The fire originated in the basement near the foot of a stairway.
The elementary school was operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago and had an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students.
A total of 92 pupils and three nuns died when smoke, heat, fire and toxic gases cut off their normal means of egress through corridors and stairways.
Many more were injured when they jumped from second-floor windows which, because the building had a raised basement, were nearly as high as a third floor would be on level ground (c. 25 ft.).[1]
The disaster was the lead headline story in American, Canadian and European newspapers. Pope John XXIII sent his condolences from the Vatican in Rome.
The severity of the fire shocked the nation and surprised educational administrators of both public and private schools. The disaster led to major improvements in standards for school design and fire safety codes.
For complete story, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Angels_School_fire
Contributor: mm (50950498)
The elementary school was operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago and had an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students.
A total of 92 pupils and three nuns died when smoke, heat, fire and toxic gases cut off their normal means of egress through corridors and stairways.
Many more were injured when they jumped from second-floor windows which, because the building had a raised basement, were nearly as high as a third floor would be on level ground (c. 25 ft.).[1]
The disaster was the lead headline story in American, Canadian and European newspapers. Pope John XXIII sent his condolences from the Vatican in Rome.
The severity of the fire shocked the nation and surprised educational administrators of both public and private schools. The disaster led to major improvements in standards for school design and fire safety codes.
For complete story, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Angels_School_fire
Contributor: mm (50950498)
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Victim of Our Lady of Angels School fire, Chicago IL
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