Frantic Dad Tells Fire Rescue Role |
By Hal Bruno |
CHICAGO, December 1, 1958 - Theresa Gorski, 10, of 935 N. Avers av., a survivor of today's tragic fire at Our Lady of the Angels school, 3808 W. Iowa st., said: |
“The first bell rang. We all stood up for a fire drill. |
“The sisters took us outside the building and then took us into the church and told us to pray. |
“We prayed and one of the altar boys said the fire had started in the boiler. |
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Theresa fingered a rosary as she talked in the grocery store of Mrs. Barbara Glowacki, 919 Avers av., where the girl was sheltered temporarily. |
A frantic father raced through the burning building rescuing other children while searching for his own whom he believed were trapped on the second floor. |
Daniel Grimaldi, 32, of 852 N. Hamlin av., said he was returning from a barber shop when he saw the children filing out for a fire drill. |
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He related. |
“I saw flames leaping from the second floor. |
“I saw that the school was on fire and I knew my kids were in there. I have two of them. |
“I ran into the building and up to the second floor. |
“It was full of smoke. |
“I could hardly breathe. I was yelling for my kids. |
“I grabbed some other kids and led them down the stairs. |
“Then I ran out in the street and around the other side. |
“They were jumping out the windows. I ran up a ladder to help a kid. A little girl jumped from the second floor. I leaned out and my body broke her fall. She hit me with so much force it knocked off my glasses.” |
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He continued. |
“I helped some kids out of the window and down the ladder. |
“Then I ran around into the church.” |
When Grimaldi reached the church, he said he was told his two children, Frank 11, and Mary Ann, 8, were safe. |