Our Lady of the Angels School Fire, Chicago December 1, 1958

OLA Fire - Stages of Fire Progression - Stage 3
Courtesy of Mr. Jan Peczkis

Stage 3 (~2:42 to 2:45pm). Belatedly, the school fire alarm sounds, just minutes before the first fire department units arrive. Smoke is rapidly seeping into the classrooms, prompting some children to jump from the windows. The underside of the roof soon reaches kindling temperature and flashes over. The interior hallway surfaces are getting hotter and hotter (red dots). The firefighters begin laddering the windows and rescuing children. Children are also jumping from other windows.