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

OLA Fire - Stages of Fire Progression - Stage 2
Courtesy of Mr. Jan Peczkis

Stage 2 (~2:35pm). A window adjacent to the fire (green arrow) shatters from the heat. The fire, fed by the fresh supply of oxygen, roars to life. A large plume of combustion gases, heat and smoke billows up the stairwell into the second floor hallway, quickly trapping everyone in the second floor classrooms. The super-hot plume soon pushes into the cockloft via ventilation grids in the hallway ceiling. The hallway ceiling and underneath side of the roof are now being strongly heated (red dots).