The Collinwood Disaster: The worst school fire in United States history.
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- čas přidán 20. 05. 2023
- in 1908 the worst school fire in United States history occurred claiming the lives of 175 people and forever changing the the face of a community.
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Do you know what's so sad? We didn't learn our lesson from Collinwood, because 50 Years later in 1958, the infamous fire that happened at Our Lady of the Angels school in Chicago that claimed 95 lives.
Jonathan Cain of the band journey was in the school at the time of the Chicago school fire. How could anyone recover from that?
May they rest in peace
@@jannisaresyes, he talks about it in his book "Don't Stop Believin' ". It really affected him. He remembers watching children jumping from the upper windows, some of them on fire...it gives me nightmares...
I was in elementary school when the Our Lady of the Angels school fire happened. It was the first time I considered the possibility that school was not necessarily a safe place. After the Chicago fire, local schools upped the number of fire drills that were conducted.
My mom used to talk about that fire in Chicago. 😔
I just watched that one a week ago.
Never be ashamed of tears. It means you’ve managed to somehow keep your humanity
I got choked up myself when the narrator started to weep talking about the little girl who said "it's no use,Ma. I've got to die". Truly tragic.
I pray God is taking care of her 😭😭
Yes it’s terrible to hear about something so sad, what the parents witnessed. I pray that the LORD took any pain away from those little children as they died. So sad .
Omg me to
You are not the only one who cried. 😢
In the 1960's I was a student at Memorial elementary which was a replacement for the school which burnt. Memorial was a beautiful replacement for the old school with a goldfish pond and children buried on site . Certain parts of the school had freezing cold areas even on 90 degree days. I can remember a girl in the third grade telling the teacher that someone was whispering in her ear . You brought back memories of my childhood in Cleveland and I'm trying not to get choked up . Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this John! I really appreciate it!
Beautiful job at honoring these children and the heartache their families experienced. Thank you for the time you put into it.
Thank you Pheona!
I honour your humanity and empathy at telling this horrifying event. Thank you so much. Its a harrowing story to tell, very hard on you. Much Respect
@@CuriousHistoryYT Your pure emotions describing this horrific tragedy pulled on my heart strings. You showed a true pure caring person. Ty for sharing .Enjoyed your video. God Bless ❤ New Sub.❤
My grandma was sick that day and all of her friends died. I think it was divine intervention that she didn’t do to school that day. I’m glad you did this story. Thank you!
A shame God didn't care enough about any of the other kids to make them sick and stay home, or even prevent the fire and save all the other kids. God cared about your grandma more than all the other kids, is what you're saying.
Claiming "divine intervention" for survivors of disasters like this is one of the worst unChristian & selfish things anyone can say.
@zenfrodo- this was over 100 yrs ago and it was a tragedy and anyway who ever said I was a Christian I said divine intervention which can be taken differ ways. It seems u have an issue I was telling a part of my background and my story. What a mean spirited comment!!
God spared her life. You wouldn't be here if otherwise. God bless!
@nadaleenbrady8183 You didn't actually address the content of the comment at all. If you're saying your grandma survived because of divine intervention, then by definition you're saying God didn't intervene on behalf of any of the other kids. That's offensive because it suggests you think your grandma was somehow more deserving of life. You can appreciate the fact that your grandma lived without disrespecting the 170 dead children, who were innocents and did NOT deserve to die that day.
I seldomly comment, but this video was ... impressive. A very tragic event and I appreciate you for telling the story so respectfully. Hearing your voice grief stricken made it easier for me to listen. I'd find it rather unsettling if we were to hear of this event and remain untouched. Thank you sir! (Greetings from Germany)
Thank you Anastasia! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment! ❤️
John your empathy is something which is admired by your audience. Absolutely heartbreaking😢
This reminds me of the circus where the big top burned, and they found a beautiful little girl who they never identified ( I read that that after 40? Years they were able to identify her) wasn't she known as " little miss unknown?" That story always haunted me! Was so relieved when I read they found out who she was!
@@maryellenshock the Hartford Circus fire.
@@animasternorris6508 yes! Do you remember what year it was? When I first read the story, it was in an old copy of life magazine.
When I was in college, our professors made sure we heard this story to ensure we knew how important our jobs were to protect our students.
I appreciate that you didn’t edit out the time you needed to compose yourself as you told this story. It allows your viewers a chance to process the tragedy as well. And this was a horrible tragedy.
You mentioned how school buildings and even procedures were changed because of this fire. One of the things I remember from school in the late 60s was that one of our many fire drills in school each year was actually conducted by the fire department. (My school was built shortly after the assassination of JFK and was named for him. And despite being a new building, drills were taken very seriously.) The drill conducted by firefighters involved having some standing at random exits and telling our teachers “This exit is burning. Go another way.” This forced our teachers to have to redirect us on the fly to get out of the building.
By the time I got to middle school, in the mid seventies, I don’t think they did that anymore. When I moved in the middle of high school to another state, I told some of my new classmates about those fire drills. They looked at me like I was an idiot and wanted to know why my old school had done something so “dumb”. My retort was, “Do you think fires magically avoid doors and stairways?!” It was interesting to watch the logic penetrate their brains.
I think because of those fire drills where the firefighters told teachers to “find another way out”, I subconsciously paid attention to exits.
In MS, the public schools I attended 1980 - 1989 had 4 exits but at opposite ends of the building. One of two exits at one end was the back door of the cafeteria, a single door. All windows in all classrooms and bathrooms were so high, none of the kids would be able to reach and all were narrow and blocked by the glass and metal frames of the tip open windows that nobody would be able to fit through unless a tiny first grader was squeezed through by a teacher. So....by design, we would have had many perish. This was elementary, junior high school and had I gone to high school in the public school system, it would have had the same problem. I happened to go to a Catholic high school due to the crime in the public high school (coaches attacking girl students was the biggest problem) and so my Catholic high school had floor to ceiling windows and kids could squeeze out of them if done slowly. So, the design was better but not ideal. Schools are designed to keep kids from sneaking out.
Such a tragedy I never knew about 😢
We're about the same age. I never remember the Fire Department participating in school fire drills. But that really is genius thinking.
I am so impressed by this idea that I am going to suggest this to local schools and fire departments.
Heck I'm going to contact Representative Carson (via snail mail) to see about this becoming a Federal law.
Why via snail mail? Senators and Representatives get literally hundreds, if not thousands of emails a day. But relatively few real letters a day. So a real letter is more likely to be read.
@@evilarchconservative2952, I don’t know if it was a Madison Area Public Schools thing or if was wider, but, like I said, it always stuck with me. Even if this kind of drill was only done every other year, depending on the number of schools a district has, it’s a good idea to have people thinking about alternative ways to escape a building in an emergency.
This was a heart wrenching event and I am not ashamed to say I cried for these children and their parents😢 I can’t even imagine the horror they felt.
❤️❤️
I have read many accounts of the Collinwood fire. It is harrowing for all, the heroism of the people involved is greater than many recently. Many children were never identified.
I can only imagine that many of those parents who had to watch helplessly as their trapped children burned, unable to pull them free, suffered terrible post traumatic stress for the rest of their lives.
I would imagine you’re correct Julie. So very sad for everyone.
@@CuriousHistoryYT I am wondering why if the pile up was so deep, the rescuers did not start pulling out children on top. It stands to reason the ones in the bottom were crushed and trapped, so why not start pulling out top layer and passing them back to make more accessible. That just seems the way to go to me. Thoughts? Sorrows are no more lightened by being old; I know. My guilt and grief for my sins of omission and commission cling to me like an old sweater. Some things never pass or lessen.
@loditx7706 I think the problem was the children kept coming. When panic sets in it’s difficult to understand why people act the way they do. The rescuers who did try to pull from the top of the pile either escaped themselves when the flames and smoke overwhelmed them or they were killed themselves.
Oh it is unfortunately a standard thing. I've read some fascinating stuff on the psychology of how people act in panic situations. @@CuriousHistoryYT
@@CuriousHistoryYT You might want to include that. I don’t remember anyone being mention who rescued children from top of pile. Could have been Darwinism at work.
That was a very sad and touching video. Obviously, it was hard for you to tell the tale, but I thank you for pushing through and telling us what happened. I was so moved by the end that I found myself just staring at the faces in the pictures, unable to take my eyes off them, and just feeling a sense of shock and sorrow. Once the video was over, I could only stare at my TV screen for several minutes, not wanting to move. As a father, and a grandfather, I can only imagine how difficult that was to tell. I wanted so badly to give you a hug when you began to struggle with the tale. Thank you, John!
Thank you Andrew! You’re exactly right. It was very difficult. Tough to research for sure but telling the tale really set me off. And so unexpectedly. My grandkids faces flashed before my eyes and in an instant I was overwhelmed. Thank you for watching my friend!
As a retired/disabled firefighter, I appreciate this story, and I think you presented it well. I used to use the videos of the Our Lady of The Angels School fire as a school fire prevention presentation. I would have used this, too, if it had been available back then. I feel your emotions, as I have felt them too many times. Thank you!
Horrific. I can't imagine what those kids went through and parents watching their child die. Thank you for the great story telling. RIP to all those beautiful souls 💔
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Your tribute to the children, parents and teachers of this disaster brought tears to my eyes. As a parent it really tore at my heart for the children and the parents who tried so hard to save their children
Thank you for watching Beth!
Very very respectfully done. May all those souls lost that dreadful day RIP eternally in the arms of God.
Thank you for bringing this story to light.
Thank you for watching Ondrea! It’s nice to see you here again!
I have never heard this story before. Makes me want to have a talk with my kiddo about taking fire drills seriously. I honestly never did until we had a tornado alarm that was NOT a drill.
Excellent point Paige! We should all learn from this tragedy!
I whole hearty agree! When I was in grade school, we had school fire drills And bus fire drills! The bus drills were a pain, school drills got us out of class for a while. Thought they were lame at the time - little did I know that these " stupid" drills could/ did save lives!
I had just started substitute teaching when I was in my first shooter drill, so I took it seriously. But it really hit home several years later when I worked with someone who'd actually there when a murderer ran through the school. (Fortunately, the idiot was just trying to dodge the cops after shooting someone down the street, never actively threatened any students or staff. Threatening enough to run through an elementary school with a gun) The other teacher's a pretty sardonic sort, but that shook him.
Not taking fire drills seriously isn’t the issue here. Your concern should be making sure buildings adhere to fire codes and aren’t potential death traps.
You are an excellent story teller. You also did the tragedy justice with your decorum. A heart crushing story.
As a clevelander I've heard about this most of my life. You did a beautiful job honoring those that were lost. May they rest in peace
I started crying uncontrollably when you were talking about Jenny , a girl who said "I have to die". God, she was so beautiful.
It's hard to imagine what these poor kids went through and the sacrifice of their teachers. RIP beautiful souls.
thank you for telling this story so eloquently and respectfully. i cant begin to imagine state of grief and loss the entire community felt. again, thank you
Thank you Jim!
Wow. Such a tragedy. I hadn't heard of this one. So much sadness, it's not surprised that there are spirits there. Another tragedy is the New London School explosion occurred on March 18, 1937 in New London Texas. The disaster killed more than 300 students and teachers. This also reminds me of the sad Bath School Massacre in Bath Charter Township, Michigan on May 18, 1927. That one was deliberate and killed 38 elementary school children and 6 teachers, plus others who were injured.
So many things happened, but there were big changes to schools after the New London incident.
Thank you for watching Charlayne!
My mother's mother went to New London to help after the explosion. My mother lost a would-be first cousin since she was born a year and a half later.
James, Maxwell and Norman Maxwell who were 14, 9 and 6 respectively are ancestors of mine being second cousins 3x removed. God keep their souls and all the souls lost and those gone now that had to endure this tragedy.
Amen 🙏
Do not be ashamed of emotion when talking about the deaths of children. They are not capable of understanding but one thing, getting out of that building. The trampling to death of little ones in front of an onrush of others is more common than one wishes to think. The hard part is realizing that someone has to die before authorities do something in order to make changes to never allow an incident like that happen again. Politics and greed will always get in the way of responsibility and safety.
There is no way to understand tragedy on this level. The pile up in front of the doors brings to mind the Beverly Hills supper club fire and the station bar fire. Beautifully covered. Event like that leave scars on the land of the spirits caught in the tragedy
Thank you for watching!
Yes. The Cocoanut Grove fire also had bodies piled up and wedged in front of the doors. In that case it was circulating doors {forget the name of them at moment}: a couple fallen bodies wedged in, then more and more jammed and piled. Through the glass, Survivors outside were haunted by the dead and still breathing victims in the piles, before smoke inhalation claimed the last. My mom-to-be, arriving home to Boston area from UMass in Western MA, that Thanksgiving weekend, was invited to the 'Grove by friends. But she -thankfully- felt too tired having just gotten home. She taught me & my brothers: The Push-Bar Exit doors and red lighted Exits were finally nationally mandated for schools and public buildings after Cocoanut Grove.
I live not too far from Boston where Coconut Grove happened And where the Station night club fire happened. And my ex was a survivor of a fire so I take fire safety VERY seriously.
So many people don't remember the fire safety tips from when we were taught at school. Nor do people follow the rules when it comes to fire safety. It boggles my mind that other states don't have the same fire safety laws such as lit up emergency exit doors and sprinklers, like we do here in Massachusetts. Two tragedies involving people stuck in doors was enough
@@shadowsinmymind9my great aunt and uncle, Gertrude and Arnold Isaacson died in the Cocoanut Grove fire. It was super tragic.
Thank you for your sensitive and respectful narration of such a terrible human tragedy. Honestly, the details had me sobbing. RIP Angels and Heroes❤
I can't imagine the horror and subsequent heartbreak of those parents. Heroes, all those who tried to help.
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Excellent video. Well done, sir. As a father of four and grandfather of two, I can't begin to imagine how the parents could endure (much less, cope with) the pain of the event or the unbearable sorrow that must surely have followed. Thank you.
I've never been so moved by a video. I think it's going to take a long time for me to get over this. As a parent myself, thinking what this would have been like for me if those had been my children. And the courage of little Nils and Jenny. And the adults who gave their lives and risked their lives. Totally devastating. Thank you for not letting their story be lost to time and for telling it with such compassion
My pleasure. Thank you for watching!
I appreciate the fact that you didn’t edit out your emotional reaction. It made the story more powerful and emphasized the horrible experience it must have been in a respectful and compassionate way. Thanks for this.
My mother was only 4 at the time of this fire but remembered it happening near her home. Her mother was crying over the lost children of her neighbors.
173 people died. 170 children, 2 teachers and 1 rescuer.
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As a Clevelander, this story is very well known and told down the generations. I appreciate your emotions, because it is a very sad moving story. Parents watching children die, fighting over bodies, several tried to commit suicide. Hirter was persecuted his whole life and he moved to the Cleveland Public Schools for the rest of his career. The Doors DID NOT open inward - a falacy that has been handed down through the years - an archeological dig proved that in the 1950s. The original Collinwood Memorial was torn down in the early 2000s and a new school sits upon the site with the same name.
Crash doors were also mandated after this fire.
There is video of the aftermath and the mass burial in the National Archives. You might be able to find it online.
What a beautiful narration of this horrible tradgedy. Thank you.
Thank you for Watching!
The next worst school fire disaster was Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, Illinois on December 1, 1958.
That day claimed 3 teaching nuns and 92 students.
It also started underneath the stairs in the basement. It was a two and a half story building and the fire was impeded on the first floor by a fire door, which allowed the younger kids to escape unharmed. The second floor was not so blessed. There was only one fire escape for the entire building. That door was locked until the janitor and one of the parish priests were able to open it. That classroom and the teaching nun was saved. But other classes were not saved because they had no choice but to jump out the windows onto the pavement 25 feet below. Many children suffered skull fractures, third degree burns, and severe smoke inhalation. 90 children did not make it out of the building alive along with the three nuns. Two more children succumbed to their injuries in hospital later.
The fire department got there late because of the wrong directions they were given from the parish housekeeper. By the time they got there the building was a towering inferno. They did the best they could to save what kids they could. Then all they could do was reclaim the bodies of those who were DOA. Sr. Mary Claire Therese, BVM was found underneath a pile of her fourth grade students who she had been trying to comfort and embrace as many of them she possibly could. Sr. Canissius Lyng, BVM died trying to shield some of her seventh graders from the flames. I don't remember how the third nun was found.
The smoke and the flames were so bad that they were unable to get out of their classrooms using the stairs. One of the parish priests, Fr. Joseph Ognibene risked his life trying to get from the less affected annex to the kids who were trapped. He helped as many as he could get out the window on the old part of the building into the newer and less affected annex before that classroom closest to him flashed over and he barely escaped from the building with his life.
The building was torn down that spring in 1959. A new school building with all of the latest safety features was opened in it's place in September of 1960.
You can find more information on this fire in the book, "To Sleep With the Angels."
The fire, it appears was set by arson. No one was ever charged with the crime. One person confessed to it when he was 13, years after the day of the fire. He was 10 when he had set the fire. He was the most likely suspect because he was a fire bug who liked setting fires in buildings. The fires he set usually had the same MO as the Our Lady of the Angels School fire. The only inconsistency in his story was that he had said three years later that he had been pushed out the window by his lay teacher into the fireman's net. His lay teacher, being one of the first to discover the smoke, had all of her class of about 60 children and the classroom next door exit out of the main doors of the school in an orderly fashion before she herself went to go find the principal of the school who was supposed to sound the only fire alarm. She was unable to be located.
The rest of the youth's story was consistent with the burn damage in the basement under the stairs. It had been set in a cardboard rubbish barrel that was filled with scrap paper. He had the details so exact that only the arsonist could have known them.
At the time of the fire, over 1,600 children were enrolled in the school. The classrooms were filled beyond what would be considered safe by the fire department with the average class size of being one teacher for 55-60 children.
the "NFPA" called that school a "FIRE TRAP" 1 year after that fire took place. I was raised roman- catholic, and when I started saint vivian grade school in 1968, the irsuline nuns of brown county that taught there talked about the the fire of "O.L.A. grade school". the nuns took fire/ fire drills seriously, even though the building was fire proof with concrete floors/ 3 hour rated class room/ stairwell doors with a fire alarm system that went to the firehouse when set off, coded by a "GAMEWELL" fire box. we also had a "O.L.A. girls high school" that has been torn down due to low enrollment. the high school that I went to, absorbed the remaining "O.L.A." students becoming a coed school. those school buildings were built in 1928, however those buildings were also fireproof. I remember the over crowded class rooms, being that I was the tail end of the baby boomers. I had no idea that JOHN CAIN, from the group" JOURNEY" went to the "O.L.A. grade school ", and "DON'T STOP BELIEVIN" was written by him as an anthem to that disaster!!!!
@@gregoryclemen1870 thank you for sharing that with me. I am too young to have lived it. I am a product of Gen X and grew up Protestant in public schools. I am a traditional Catholic now and my kids go to a Catholic grade school built in the 1940's.
@@megangreene3955 you are very welcome, when I look at these disasters, it tears me to shreds!!!!!. I worked in a hospital( now retired), burned bodies are the worst!!!!, many do not make it due to infection. I could imagine what the parents went through, having to bury their young, when it is to be the other way around. it was brought up about loose spirits in this disaster area, it is true, having worked in a hospital, loose entities are everywhere in the hospital that I worked in, and after a while I got use to it .I would have to say that " it was not their time to go, and cross over to the other side".
@@gregoryclemen1870yes, his account of the fire was absolutely harrowing. It affected him deeply.
@@gr8flyerfan anyone who was in that fire and survived it , carried those emotional scares for the rest of their lives!!!!.
Thank you Sir for such a sad but humbling video and the great way you lovingly memorialize those who perished in the tragic fire. Even seeing you wipe your eyes showed such love for those children. I'm so happy that they are not forgotten.
God bless you, Sir
Thank you! ❤️❤️
So sad. Young lives taken in the most horrendous way. May they all RIP.
Heart wrenching and unfathomable. I think only 9/11 is comparable in the contemporary mind. Possibly your best episode yet. Good work. Thanks for the presentation.
No, actually the next comparable disaster was the Our Lady of the Angels School fire on December 1, 1958. 92 students and 3 nuns died in or as a result of that fire.
@@megangreene3955 the contemporary mind. Meaning today's mind
@@davidlancaster8152 I think that 1958 is contemporary because some of the survivors are still living.
Besides, that school fire also had the same consequences of improving school safety. Whereas the twin towers did no such thing. 9/11 sparked a war, but it did nothing to make schools safer. We can thank the Our Lady of the Angels School fire for improving school building infrastructure, putting fire suppression systems in schools, and working to alleviate school overcrowding. Class sizes were halved after that event. So they went from 60 children to 30.
@@megangreene3955 contemporary means of the same time period or of the time now. Look it up. I made the comment. I explained to you my intent in the reply to yours. Instead of trying to persist in making me wrong, post your own comment in the regular section illustrating your points. Thanks 👍
The Station Nightclub fire (2003, more contemporary than 9/11) is extremely similar to this. The entrance was log jammed with bodies packed so tightly that those trapped couldn’t be pulled free, and they burned to death. Even the death toll is rather close, 100 people killed.
Thank you, John, on your dedication on this tragic day. It does bring on tears for all the young lives that were lost in this fire. This memorial looks quite nice. I would also agree with the parents back then not to construct a new school in that same spot.
Yep I think the parents made the right call too Edward. Thanks again for watching!
Such A Tragic, Horrible Thing To Happen.
I wasnt around, and i;m not from the US... but respect and love goes out to the victims of the horrible fire, the emplyees of the school who protected the children and the scarred parents. May they rest in peace.
Almost all building regulations exist not because something could happen if they weren't in place, but because they HAD happened.
This was a rough one. It's also hard when kids are involved. However, you did a great job of telling this story and keeping the memories of all that lost their lives in this tragic incident. Thanks for sharing this. God bless!
Bless you Brian!
@@CuriousHistoryYT Thank you. I know I said this before, but I'll say it again. Being from IN I can relate to a LOT of your videos. It'd be really cool to meet you guys and IF I ever get back there, maybe we can. God bless you guys, you're doing God's work!
I can understand how difficult it was for you to do this video. So much pain and suffering 😔 Thank you for doing this.
Thank you Gary
I think you did a wonderful job of honoring the legacy of those lost in the Collinwood fire. It’s refreshing to see a presenter show genuine emotion, it’s a powerful way to help the audience empathize with the victims, as well. It takes strength to have a heart for others. Our country and our world would be better off with more people like you in it!
Bless you Sasha! And thank you! 😊❤️
Such a heartbreaking story, so many innocent souls lost 😢
Thank you for such a heartfelt retelling of this tragic tale in our history. As a teacher and parent, it grieves me deeply.
Disasters are almost always the catalyst for much needed change. This story was heartbreaking, yet so beautifully told. God bless the descendants of all families affected by the tragedy.
What a beautiful, emotional tribute to these precious souls. I can't imagine what these families went through. Thank you for this tribute.
Thank you for watching Neta!
I grew up in NYC in the lower east side/east village. In 1908 the community suffered something similar known as the SLOCUM DISASTER. A ferry boat fire on the East River during a Sunday church outing that killed many children, whole families which totally devastated that community. Many people moved away from the neighborhood.
And this was just 3 years before the Triangle Factory fire in New York City in 1911. Killed well over 100 people; mostly in their 20’s. Many fell or jumped to their deaths from the 9th floor. Horrific.
I'm a complete history addict. So I'm.pleased I found ur channel. I just recently watched a video on the Our Lady of the Angels fire in Chicago. Which lost 74. This fire happened BEFORE the Chicago one so it's sad to say that there was missed opportunity for Chicago to learn from this tragedy. As a mother, sir, I cried with you. My heart breaks for those momma's and daddy's that went through that. Haunted is to weak a word for how they lived out the rest of their days. I hope they went onward to hold their babies again in the next world.😢
Well said Bekki. Thank you for watching. ❤️
No disrespect to you @bekkiwampler9016 but the correct total of lives lost at OLA in Chicago was 92 students & 3 nuns. Unfortunately not much had improved as far as building codes between those 50 years. I am from Chicago.
Great job John what a hard story to tell had been looking forward to and dreading this story at that same time knew it would be a sad sad story Big school didn't realize it was that big Well again great job relating the information God bless all those precious souls and you as well my friend
Thank you Randy. 🙏
What a horrible tale to have to tell.But thank you John for putting it together for us I certainly do appreciate it can't imagine what was going through people's minds at that time don't believe I'd want to either got it on my day trip list thanks again for all you and your family does in these videos take care of yourself and each other
Thank you Thom. 😊😊
This is very touching, I wept along with you 😢 so very sad. I am so glad that you showed the faces of many that were lost.
Have you ever researched the story of the March 1937 explosion of the London School in New London, Texas? Almost 300 died and over 300 injured. That incident led to the "rotten egg" smell being added to natural gas.
Thanks for this Deborah! I’ll have a look!
You did a wonderful job presenting this even though it was clearly hard to narrate. Thanks for sharing this story that many of us haven't heard of.
My old junior high school looked just like this, a tinder box from the early 1900's.
Glad it's now a parking lot instead of a nightmare story. Take care John.
Thank you Jan!
As a leading edge Boomer, I also attended a junior high school, built in 1905, that was similar in appearance to Collinwood. That seemed to be the prevailing design for elementary / junior high schools in the early 1900s.
My father had 2 cousins who escaped the fire that day. Edward and Rudolf Pauleit.
Truly a harrowing true to life story, the way it was delivered put you at the scene of this most brutal, most horrific loss of life .. Sir, you have delivered a well researched and documented account of an occurrence that should never be forgotten 😢🇬🇧
Bless you vapete
Wow John, that's beyond tragedy, I can't blame you for tearing up, I was choked-up also. I felt as if I too was in that fire, just visualizing all the carnage, suffering and slowly being burned alive and that feeling of hopelessness... Thank you for sharing this story and your time with us, it is important that we know about the history of tragedies, and never forget the victims of these very tragic events that came from any given time period, and always give thanks to those who gave up their lives to save others!!!!!!! Now, I know it took a lot of courage to tell this story, I don't envy the storyteller on this story being told, Kutos to you John. God bless you, God bless your family and God bless your wonderful channel. May all of the victims, the hero's, the women, the men and the children, REST IN PEACE.....................!
Bless you Gregory ❤️
What a very very sad and awful event for that town. You were excellent at presenting the story, and we could tell it was difficult for you. It was difficult hearing about it, but thank you for doing this.
Thank you for watching! I appreciate it!
The number of views vs the number of likes is unacceptable. Sometimes people just don't think to smash the like. You and your team do a great job I look forward to all your releases, It's history like this one that needs to be told, we can not forget our history. Thanks to channels like yours we will never forget. I wish the History Channel or Discovery would showcase you and your crew just so it reaches a wider audience, you all deserve it that's for sure.
I got a little choked up on that one that was incredibly hard no matter how long its been. God Bless you and all whom had passed in that horrendous fire. Be safe and Thank you for all you do.
Thank you Shawn! 😊
It feels wrong to like a story this incredibly sad.
I’m actually so glad for this comment because so often I don’t remember or think to like and especially with stories such as this. It’s about the telling of the story and the appreciation of it : not an indication of “liking” the horror.
Thanks for the reminder to show appreciation to those who share such important history with us. I found this to be exceptionally well done.
@shawnhasty7480
This is so hauntingly similar to the infamous The Station Nightclub fire. There’s (bad, but passable) video of it online, including a brief view of people piled up at the doors all the way to the ceiling, screaming for help while people tried in vain to pull them out, forced to watch them burn just moments later. I can’t imagine something like that happening to little kids, it would be beyond devastating.
What a sad and heartbreaking story. It had me in tears for sure. You presented it so well, in spite of being choked with emotions yourself. To see and hear your young daughter say, "It's no use Ma, 'I've got to die..." what a horrible thing to witness. That poor mother. On another note, at 3.38 on the video, I swear that I can see a young boy is jumping from the top window. Am I crazy or can anyone else see this?? Many thanks for another informative video -stay well🙂
Thank you Kiwi! I will have to go back and look!
This is, by far, the most respectful and moving account of this tragic day. Absolutely, unthinkable, heartbreaking and sad.
Thank you for watching Belinda!
My mom went to an old high school that resembled this elementary school. It had wood flooring that was oiled regularly to keep it clean and dust free (she said if you dropped a sheet of paper or rubbed your clothes on it they would stink of kerosene). Fortunately nothing happened while she was there and in her second year the new high school was opened, all concrete and brick and all classrooms on the ground floor. Sometimes lessons are learned from tragedy, but that it is cold comfort for the families that experienced such profound loss of their children and loved ones. Thank you for making this sensitive video of tragedy that should not be forgotten.
This was in 1908 I think it's amazing that there are photos of so many of the children.
So sad, heartbreaking, I don’t think I could stop myself from crying if I told this story. 😢
It was rough for sure Edith. Thank you for watching!
Excellent job! I grew up on E 149th Street and Lucknow. We went to preschool there. After the school closed, there was an opening inside the stairwell of the kindergarten gates that we would enter and walk around. I always felt uneasy, cold and I felt like you could hear things. When we would ride our bikes around the old building, it always had a "heavy feeling" that I can still recall this day. The helplessness of the neighborhood is just crushing.
There was a similar very tragic school fire in Buffalo NY in March 1954 at the Cleveland Hill School. Several children died in the fire and many more seriously injured. A furnace at the school blew up and the widows in the classrooms affected were too small for many of the children to get out quickly. School building codes changed across the Country as a result of this fire.
I lived at 279 E. 149th for about 6 months before I lived behind Collinwood High School for 2 1/2 more years all starting in the fall of '94.
Great to see you got to visit and document this site! Any parent would have a tremendously hard time covering this story. You did an amazing job covering this story and leaving in the human emotion attached to this tragedy.
Thank you HauntedByHaunted! Appreciate the love! Would love to know how you got access to the Fairfield County Infirmary! Loved the video!
I've watched this several times and am impacted by the sorrow you experienced sharing the story. It's horrible and though things improved what a horrible reason it was needed. My heart ached with you when you couldn't go on there.
It was the most difficult story to tell. My grandchildren’s faces flashed before my eyes as I told it.
Thank you for your continued support!
I’m a teacher, and the current problems that face teachers are numerous. However, fire is not a worry. So many exit doors, sprinklers, alarms, and concrete buildings, help us all to feel safe. It was an honor to listen to your heartfelt tribute to this school.
Wow how sad a terrible tragedy and so many perished . Impressive you were able to make this video at all but thank you for sharing. I am sure this will effect you for a while because I know it will me but these stories need told and shared thanks again……
Thank you Jerry! 😊
Your emotions while telling this story really got me, there should have been a tissue warning in the beginning 😢. Great job on the way you and your family honor these Curious History moments ❤.
Thank you Melissa ❤️
Oh my, A horrible story to tell, but one that should be told and remembered. Thank you my friend, this makes my heart hurt as I'm sure it did yours.
It certainly did Pamela. ❤️
So very sad. Brave teachers trying to help the students out. The smoke and the chaos that happened I’m sure it was hard to see and get out. Such a tragedy.
Wow...what a heart wrenching story. Thank you for your wonderful story telling. Not one person should go unaffected by this story.I teared up with you. May all the beautiful souls rest in peace.
It’s hard to find words to describe the enormity of that tragedy. You did a great job telling us the story. Thank you.
I had never heard of this disaster and you have done an excellent and sensitive reflection of what occurred that day. Thank you for remembering it and the lessons learned that day.
Thank you for watching Ann!
I think the saddest part is… “the unclaimed children” were buried in a mass grave. 😢
You have an amazing talent for stories and narration. More importantly, you have a heart. What a horrible tragedy and God bless all the victims and their families.
Thank you Tim 🙏
Thank you so much for sharing this sad beautiful tale horror of the fire and the brave individuals who at their own risk of injury or death saved so many lives and the loss of so many adults and little children on that day. Thank you for honoring all of their memories.
Thank you for watching Theresa! 😊
This is a well told heartbreaking story. Larger number of victims, but similar to the our lady of Angels fire in Chicago. I was a young child that lived a mile away from where that bar took place, but I was not Catholic. God bless all the victims, including all those involved in dealing with this catastrophe. Hopefully you have not had to suffer anything of this magnitude of horror. I am amazed that you were able to tell the story as long as you did Mr. curious history given it’s incredible sadness.
All of Heaven welcomed those children on that terrible day. Let us never forget them. W from Cleveland.
Amen Walter! 🙏
I’ve lived in Cleveland for 48 years. West Side. And this was the 1st time I heard about it. Ty for sharing.
I just caught this by chance on my homepage and I am glad I did’ I never even heard of this tragedy and I was humbled by your raw emotions as you told it’ you were meant to remind the world of this’ to honor those lost and to keep the lessons learned by it fresh.
❤️
I agree
You did a beautiful job telling a horrible story. You obviously did an enormous amount of research. The details are heartbreaking and you convey them with warmth and sympathy. Thank you for sharing this video.
That was rough to listen to.
I take my hat to cover my heart..bless you sir for taking the time to explain this horrendous event that happened many years ago....may those unfortunate souls who passed that day....rest in eternal peace...🙏
So So Heartbreaking. Thank you for the hard job of remembering the children and teachers. 💋💋💜💜🐕stay safe and huge hugs my dear friend. This might be dumb but I always thought school was a safe place?
I thought so too Jane. Thank you for watching!
I have never heard of this disaster......................how sad and devastating
Touching and beautiful tribute to the children and teachers lost in this tragic fire.
This was horrible and heartbreaking! I grew up in Cleveland and don’t remember ever hearing about this!
Thank you for keeping the memory of this disaster alive for future generations . A very tough story to recount but many thanks for doing so .
Greetings to all from Derbyshire , England.
Beautifully told like that of a loving father. Mentioning the church bell was sweet. RIP to all the beautiful souls lost and/or affected by this horrible tragedy.
Incredibly presented! I was able to visit the memorial/mass grave in Lake View Cemetery and that is one of the heaviest, saddest places I have ever been.
Thank you for sharing this sad but historic event. I’m crying along with you as you tell it. Out of such terrible situations, we can all learn great lessons. I feel this tragedy has taught even future generations on how to prevent fires like this from all buildings where people gather. Those children and their heroes that perished did not die in vain. 😢💜
thank you for sharing...I had no idea...one thing that has remained constant all these years is...we don't fix anything until the day after the funeral..we are reactive when we should be proactive...GOD REST EVERYONE'S SOUL.......retired member IAFF
RIP to these sweet little angels. I can’t imagine the pain and trauma these families went through.
Thank you for honoring these children. May they rest in peace and God's loving arms. Patricia Gambino Harrington