Day 335: The Day that Chicago Cried

     December 1, 1958 dawned as a Monday like any other. Thanksgiving had just occurred the previous Thursday, and families were busy making preparations for Christmas, which was merely 24 days away. However, events would transpire that day that would irreversibly alter the lives of all those affected. Our Lady of the Angels was a Catholic parish complex that featured a school, church, rectory, and convent. The school had been built in 1910 and had undergone numerous renovations, but was also grievously non-compliant with 1958 fire codes. However, the school was given a passing grade anyway thanks to a grandfather clause the exempted the school from meeting all of the requirements. As it stood on that fateful morning, the school didn't have a connected fire alarm, the sprinkler system was nonexistent, there were only two fire alarms in the whole building, only one fire escape for the whole building, and all of the fire extinguishers were mounted seven feet above the ground. Add the that the school's English Basement and high ceilings, and the second floor windows were more than 25 feet off the ground. All told, the students ad teachers of OLA were sitting on a powder keg. And that keg was about to blow.

     About 45 Minutes before the end of the school day, some errant papers stacked up in the basement caught fire and started smoldering. This went on for around 20 minutes until it was noticed by two eighth grade girls, who then notified their teacher, who promptly readied her class to evacuate the building, but when the teacher opened the door, the smoke proved to be impassable.  Meanwhile, the school's janitor saw flames rising from the building, and rushed over to the rectory so as to alert the clergy staff  to call the fire department.  After that, the janitor rushed back into the school to begin an evacuation.  Soon afterwards, the fire department finally showed up and started the tough task of rescuing the 330 souls who were still stuck inside.  This task was complicated by the fact that the frenzied kids were both trampling fellow students and jumping from the second story, often resulting in their deaths and maimings.

     When the smoke finally cleared, 92 students and 3 nuns lay dead.    But that wasn't the only effects.  Immediately, Pope John XXIII sent his condolences from the Vatican.  The funerals for the victims were held in a National Guard armory in Humboldt Park, as all of the local churches were too small for the sheer magnitude of mourners.  The fire truly touched a nerve across the country.  On December 5, The Chicago American published the names and pictures of the victims on its front page, in one of its most infamous covers:

     Additionally, LIFE magazine ran an issue about the fire on December 16, which produced the most enduring image of the tragedy:

     After the fire had been extinguished, the firemen were taking the victims out of the school.  Photographer Steve Lasker was standing outside of the school when firefighter Richard Scheidt emerged carrying the body of John Jajkowski Jr., a 10-year old boy who had one day hoped to be a priest.  The photo instantly became THE iconic moment from the fire, and has even spawned some pop culture references, in outlets as varied as Planet 51 and Toy Story 3.  Additionally, the Los Angeles Fire Department released an informational video in 1960 titled Our Obligation, which was extensively modeled off of the OLA fire, even down to the iconic shot of the young child's body being carried out:

     It is clear, that even today, 55 years later, the OLA fire still casts a large shadow over the history of Chicago.