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Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) School Fire, December 1, 1958

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In room 210, the students of Sister Mary Albia's fifth grade class pose for their class photo in 1956, two years before the fire. Some of the students in this photo became victims of the fire. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Lego)
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Everything seemed normal at 2:25 pm on December 1, 1958, in the classrooms of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic school in Chicago. As in this photo (not taken at OLA), the classrooms were neat, clean, orderly - and unlike this photo, filled with students.
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The classrooms were neat and orderly at 2:15 on December 1, 1958. Children in classrooms much like this one (photo not taken at OLA) had no idea a fire was raging just a few feet away in the center hallway, and overhead above the ceiling.
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While the exterior or Our Lady of the Angels school was made of brick, the building was full of combustibles. From wooden stairs, flammable ceiling tiles and wooden floors to books, papers and wooden desks, the fire had no trouble finding fuel.
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Each of the classrooms in the school was equipped with glass transoms over the doors, much like the one shown here (photo not taken at OLA). Intense heat in the main hallway eventually caused the glass to break, allowing fire to pour into the rooms.
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This view of the inside Our Lady of the Angels church is from the early 1950's, several years before the fire. The priest performing the Mass is Father Thomas Coughlin. The altar boy is unknown. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Fanone)
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Another view of Father Thomas Coughlin in the Our Lady of the Angels church in the early 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Fanone)
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Father Thomas Coughlin performing a Mass at Our Lady of the Angels church in the early 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Fanone)
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Another view of the Mass performed by Father Thomas Coughlin at Our Lady of the Angels church, several years before the fire. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Fanone)
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Father Thomas Coughlin and unknown altar boy in the early 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Fanone)
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Another view inside Our Lady of the Angels church in the early 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Fanone)
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The OLA school is visible in the background of this photo, taken in the late '40s. The south wing of the school is nearest, separated from the north wing at left by the small courtyard that played such a major role in events on the day of the fire. The iron picket fence “protecting” the courtyard had yet to be built when this photo was taken. The little boy is Richard Racine, class of 1956. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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The old OLA school is visible in the background behind little Richard Racine, Kathy Crossin and Tommy Hynes, all class of 1956. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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A better view of the old OLA from the early '50s behind Richard Racine and Kathy Crossin, class of 1956. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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This is in the “Cheesebox,” otherwise known as room 207, two years before the fire. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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Another view inside room 207, the “Cheesebox.” Note the door at left, which leads to the school's only external fire escape. On the day of the fire, this door was locked, trapping Sr. Geraldita and her students in this room. James Raymond, the school janitor, appeared just in the nick of time and unlocked the door, allowing everyone to flee down the fire escape. As a result, of the six classrooms destroyed by the fire, only room 207 suffered no deaths. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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This rather poor quality photo shows the Iowa street side of the old school before the fire. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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This is the principal's office of the school, located between classrooms 201 and 203 on the second floor of the south wing, overlooking Iowa Street. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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Sister Helaine, eighth grade teacher in room 211, suffered severe burns as a result of the fire. Here, she is seen standing on Avers Avenue several years before the fire. The door at right leads to a stairway into the basement of the south wing. (Photo courtesy of Class of 1956 Reunion Committee)
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