Remembering Our Lady Of The Angels, 55 Years Later
By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 2, 2013 11:05PM
December 1 is a somber date for many Chicagoans. Sunday was the 55th anniversary of the Our Lady of the Angels Catholic school fire that claimed the lives of 92 students and three nuns.
The fire started in the Humboldt Park school's basement and went unnoticed for 20 minutes before spreading to the first and second floors. The building was made entirely of wood and the floors were coated with a highly flammable wax that, when heated, emitted a thick black smoke that cut off the regular egress points of the building. Most of those who died in the fire died of smoke inhalation; others were injured jumping from second-floor windows.
The fire made international headlines and Pope John XXIII offered his condolences to the families of the victims. The tragedy led to major changes in fire safety prevention in schools and public buildings across the country. Laura Dini, who was in seventh grade when the fire occurred, told the Sun-Times she smells smoke in the air at this time every year.