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

If you have a personal experience, recollection or opinion about the December 1, 1958 Our Lady of the Angels school fire, whether you were present at the fire or not, you can relate it here. Any story or information is welcome as long as it relates to Our Lady of the Angels school fire.
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Posted by: Elaine Kalcsics On: 6/16/2008 ID: 368
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Chicago
The tragedy is as clear to me today as it was the day it happened. I was totally shocked at the news on the radio and TV. I tried calling a girlfriend of mine who had nieces in OLA but all telephone lines were busy and you couldn't get a call through. I finally contacted her but I can't remember how long it took me. I had two small children at the time and it just broke my heart hearing all of the news. I did so much crying all during that episode.
My next door neighbor asked if I would go with her to a wake for her cousin's child who was killed in the fire and I will never forget that sad scene. There were 8 white caskets in a chapel at this funeral home.
My girlfriend's nieces escaped with the help of one of the nuns. They were among the students that the one nun rolled down the stairs to safety.
One lost her coat and the other lost her shoes in the process but they survived. They had to have years of help with working with a psychologist because the older one was in seventh grad and had lost many friends who went to school with her since kindergarten.
My heart still aches whenever I hear or talk about the OLA fire. I went to the Archdiocese schools for 12 years and went to high school with girls who graduated from OLA and some still lived in the parish at the time of the fire.
That will always be the saddest day in Chicago's history and in the Archdiocese school system. I can't even imagine how those parents went through that ordeal.
I have a girlfriend who lives out of state now but her home was built by a contractor who lost his son in the OLA fire. He left Chicago after losing his son in the fire and was building homes down south.


Posted by: Anonymous On: 6/9/2008 ID: 367
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Westchester IL
I can still remember the shock and horror of this and the impact it had on me. Up until that time (I was just about to turn 8 that month) I didn't truly understand that children could die and certainly didn't think Catholic children could die like this. It was like we had some kinda "in" with God that would protect us. I remember being scared to go back to our school, afraid that we could have a fire too. And I remember crying, all those children dying and hurt was more than my 8 yr old emotions could handle. I didn't understand how God could do this to us - kids....I felt betrayed.


Posted by: Steve T. On: 6/7/2008 ID: 366
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No 10 5
I was fortunate enough to be one of the lucky ones. I was able to get out of the school during the fire without any injuries. It still affected me so much that it took me 50 years to be able to write this. My heart will always go out to those who died or were injured or who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy. I still miss my friends who were killed. I attended the new Our Lady of the Angels School after it opened, but was never able to enjoy the school after the fire.


Posted by: Anonymous On: 4/24/2008 ID: 365
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before
Helen Cooney and her sister, Marguerite Cooney, were nurses at St. Anne's Hospital at the time of the OLA fire. These two women had left the convent but still had friends who were nuns.

During one of our visits back in the mid-1960's, they told us (their grand-nieces and grand-nephews) of their experiences working at the hospital to serve the OLA burn victims. At the time we were in grade school.

Helen died of cancer (I believe it was in the late '60s); Maggie enjoyed a longer life, passing away in the late '80s.


Posted by: Rick Bocek On: 4/6/2008 ID: 364
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Cicero, Illinois
I was 5 years old at the time of the fire. I became a firefighter in June of 1974, for the Cicero Fire Department. I have many recollections of the fire at OLA. When I started grammar school I attended Mary Queen of Heaven School in Cicero, Illinois. I vividly recall the interior layout, but mostly the exterior which mirrors almost to the letter the exterior of OLA. As a firefighter in Cicero I had the occasion to reenter MQH school and you could swear you were in OLA just from the pictures I've seen. It sent chills down my spine. From what I have found out apparently the Chicago Archdiocese built several of the same school buildings. MQH is located in the 5300 block of west 25th street in Cicero. It has been closed for several years now but if you go see it you will be shocked at the resemblence in the two schools. I have read all the books on the fire and took on a real interest. My cousin died in the fire. Her name was Nancy Smid. I remember my father taking my sister and I to the wake. I will never forget all the young faces I saw.
Thruout my life I have met several firefighters from other departments that attended OLA. I have heard their stories and captured their sorrow. At least once a year I visit the resting place of these children at MQH cemetery. You cannot help but cry. I truely have deep feelings for those that were lost in the fire. For those who remain I wish you all the best. Wounds heal but there is always a scar to remind you.


Posted by: Jennifer Harris On: 4/6/2008 ID: 363
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
I lived in The Detroit area when I was born, then I moved to Grand Blanc.I found out when I watched To Sleep With The Angels on PBS,and I would love to read the book,To Sleep with the Angels. I found this website,it's very useful. God Bless those 3 nuns and 92 children who died it would've been 50 years this December 1,which happens to be my brother's birthday,he was born in 78, the fire was 1958. I was born 1973. Those poor kids will never hear the school bell ring,grow up,graduate or get married and have families of their own,due to an arsonist. I don't know what the arsonist died of.


Posted by: Linda B On: 2/5/2008 ID: 362
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Cleveland, Ohio
I went to St. Stanislaus School, our school was 3 stories and was built in the early 1900's, since my grandmother went to the school. I remember hearing about the fire and was upset, knowing about those poor children dying. Things were not discussed as they are now, I remember the nuns touching on the subject and we prayed, I was only 8yrs old.
When I reached the 5th grade, we had kind of an excentric little nun, the thing I rememberd most about her, is that she told us how she had the janitor come in and install a chain ladder, anchored in the floor. so that we could escape incase of fire and not end up like the children from OLA school. I also made it a priority, when entering any new place, like a theatre, resturant, ect, to locate the fire exits, just in case, I think this tragedy was always in the back of my mind.


Posted by: Judi Duncan On: 1/28/2008 ID: 361
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Cicero, IL
I am writing here in hopes of someone answering a question. My family and I attended the wake for Nancy Smid. I remember only that my dad was the cousin of someone in the Smid family, maybe her father. My dad's name was Milton Bocek and I am wondering if any of the Smid family reads this, if you can help me establish the relationship between the Bocek family and the Smid family. I am doing some genealogy research. I was touched by the horror of the fire and the whole story of it remains with me to this day. I remember hearing about it on the radio as my mother drove us home from school that day, and all the fire drills that followed in school, and reading all the newpaper accounts. I have seen the Channel 11 telecast and read the book. It will stay with me forever and my deepest sympathies remain with the families and the survivors. I am posting my email address here. Thank you very much.Judi Duncan
email address: JudiDuncan@SBCGlobal.net


Posted by: Jim Swieca On: 1/25/2008 ID: 360
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Northwest side of Chicago
Even though I was only in the first grade at St. Robert Bellarmine School on the Northwest Side, my first grade nun told us about a fire at Our Lady of Angels school and to pray for all children and sisters. I can remember coming home from school, running down the gangway and stopping at my grandparents flat first. This particular day, my grandma didn't have her usual home-baked pie, cookies, or bread ready for me (I have to admit, I was the apple of their eye!), instead, she had WBBM radio on giving an account of the tragedy. All she did was hold me on her lap and held my hands, crying as we both stared at the radio atop the radiator cabinet in the kitchen. One thing that really chills me to this day was a comment that "a girl was jumping out a window with her hair on fire". Even though I didn't attend Our Lady of the Angels School, I indeed remember that day; an infamous day for Chicago!


Posted by: snakes3425 On: 1/21/2008 ID: 359
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
I never knew any of the victims or any of their families, and I don't know any survivors nor am I a member of the OLA Community. I'm simply a 23 year old history major who knows the story of the Our Lady of the Angels Fire. This is by far the most heartbreaking event I've ever researched.
It would be nice to hear from anyone who was involved in, lost someone, or survived the OLA Fire.