Our Lady of Angels School Fire

[efdcapt115 1,511]

On December 1, 1958, a fire broke out in Our Lady of Angels elementary school. It was a parochial school, operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. The fast moving fire, suspected to have been an arson job, would end up taking the lives of 92 pupils and 3 nuns. Another 100, mostly students, suffered serious injuries.

The 42 year anniversary was yesterday, and it was posted on another website. I researched and found a comprehensive article on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Angels_School_fire

Also found; a link to a 1960 film produced by the Los Angeles Fire Department entitled "Our Obligation." This 24 minute film is a dramatization of a school fire that the LAFD said at the time wasn't about the OLA fire in Chicago, yet is quite similar in it's details. It's also an amazing look back in time to 1960; fire apparatus, department operating procedures, and I found the entire film to be both haunting and intriguing:

http://www.archive.org/details/our_obligation

I think while you'll find yourself reflecting on the tragedy, you'll also find the film compelling to watch from a firefighting perspective.

[16fire5 693]

Good information and the driving force behind plenty of codes especially as they relate to schools. Eye opening to how fast a fire can spread in a public building. I've read a few articles on it by Hal Bruno a Firehouse Magazine Contributor who I believe buffed the blaze with a Chicago Squad and then covered the tragedy from a first hand account.

[Danger 160]

Also check out the book "To Sleep with the Angels", really fascinating and sad

Amazon

Edited December 2, 2010 by Danger

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Also check out the book "To Sleep with the Angels", really fascinating and sad

Amazon

Thanks.

[firecapt32 282]

"To sleep with the angels" is a wonderfull book for firefighters to read. It tells the story of the fire and of the firefghters efforts to make the rescues and how the lives were effected.It should be on everyfirefighters book shelf.

[wraftery 1,275]

"To sleep with the angels" is a wonderfull book for firefighters to read. It tells the story of the fire and of the firefghters efforts to make the rescues and how the lives were effected.It should be on every firefighters book shelf.

Thanks. I was trying to remember tht title but was drawing a blank. You are right...required reading.

[CBX4627 114]

Another book that was written about this fire is titled "The Fire that Will Not Die", by Michele McBride.............One of the survivors. The book is available on Amazon.

[nfd2004 750]

After the Our Lady of Angels School fire in Chicago, fire codes for schools changed dramatically. Fire drills were then required. Fire doors had to be installed, etc. I sure remember that. I was in grammer school at the time. I want to order those two books also. As I remember, one of the Chicago Firefighters who responded into the fire "First Due", lost his child.

And that was a Great Video posted.