Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) School Fire, December 1, 1958 |
- A - |
Abbatiello, Alessandra |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Anthony and Aurelia Abbatiello. |
Abbatiello, Aurelia |
Fourth grade girl in room 210 |
Aurelia suffered serious burns on her legs. According to Aurelia's mother, classmate Steven Friedeck helped Aurelia escape through a window. Sister of Anthony and Alessandra Abbatiello. |
Adams, Barbara |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Addante, Patricia |
Second grade girl age 6 in room 103 |
Affatato, Michael |
Sixth grade boy |
Akin, Margaret Jane |
Fourth grade girl in room 210 |
Margaret escaped through the west window of room 210 and down a ladder. Other than numerous splinters in her hands from descending the ladder, she was uninjured. |
Alexis, Sister Mary |
Fourth grade teacher in room 106 |
Almunda, Sister |
Administrator at St. Anne's Hospital |
Alotta, James |
Sixth grade boy in room 205 |
Altobell, Michele |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Amadei, Anita |
Fourth grade girl |
Amato, Sandra |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Ancona, Michael |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 108 |
Anderson, Ablin |
Fireman |
Anderson was a member of rescue Squad 6, which responded to the box alarm. |
Anderson, James |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 206 |
Andreoli, Barbara |
First grade girl in Joseph Hall |
Sister of Gerry and Randy Andreoli. |
Andreoli, Gerry |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Gerry was hospitalized until March of 1959, after undergoing numerous skin graft operations. He later married Irene Mordarski, a survivor of room 208. |
Andreoli, Randy |
Second grade boy |
Brother of Gerry and Barbara Andreoli. |
Andrew, Maria |
Girl |
Anglim, Robert |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Anselmo, Henry |
Chicago Fire Inspector |
Lt. Anselmo inspected the school in October, 1958, and reported it to be in "safe and legal condition," because the 1949 fire code that would have prevented all loss of life at OLA did not apply to schools built before 1949. |
Antoni, Anita |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 103 |
Arena, Alan |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Brother of James Arena. |
Arena, Dolores |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room B |
Arena, James |
First grade boy in Joseph Hall |
Brother of Alan Arena. |
Arena, Ray |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Ray escaped without injury by jumping from a window in room 209 to a small awning over a doorway from the first floor annex to the courtyard. |
Arimond, Carroll |
Associated Press Reporter |
Arimond was the main writer for the AP reporting on the OLA fire. |
Ascher, John |
Police Crime Lab |
Lt. Ascher was involved in the investigation of the fire, in particular examining the remains of the 30 gallon drum found in the stairwell. |
Auck, Dale |
Fire Prevention Engineer |
Auck was a member of the coroner's jury that investigated the fire and developed recommendations for school fire safety standards. |
- B - |
Bacich, Bianca |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 201 |
Bianca later married a classmate and fellow survivor, Peter Biancalana. |
Bailey, Doreen |
First grade girl in room 110 |
Sister of Maureen Bailey. |
Bailey, James |
Fireman |
Bailey was a CFD Deputy Marshall, and one of the first to enter the school via the north-side second floor windows. |
Bailey, Maureen |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 205 |
Sister of Doreen Bailey. |
Baldy, Leonard |
Helicopter Patrolman |
Chicago Police Officer Baldy operated Chicago's the first traffic helicopter (starting in February 1958), broadcasting traffic reports on WGN radio. During the OLA fire, he not only reported on the fire from high overhead, he also communicated with emergency vehicles weaving through heavy traffic, helping them find the quickest route to the fire. |
Barabasz, John |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
John was sent to Garfield Park Hospital with minor injuries. |
Barale, Michele |
Eighth grade girl age 14 in room 211 |
Michele was rescued by fireman Charles Kamin atop a ladder at a window of room 211. |
Barkhaus, Elmer |
Passing motorist who noticed smoke coming from the school |
Elmer ran into Barbara Glowacki's store north of the school after seeing smoke coming from the northeast entrance of the school. He asked Glowacki if she had a phone and she said she did not have a public phone (she did not know he intended to call the fire department). He then ran to an apartment across the street looking for a phone. In the meantime, Glowacki realized there was a fire and called the fire department. By then, the fire department had already been notified. Barkhaus passed away in April, 1971. |
Barletta, James |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Cousin of Linda Barletta. |
Barletta, Linda |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Linda was pushed out a window but survived with just bruises and minor burn injuries. Cousin of Andrea Gagliardo and James Barletta. |
Baroni, Karen |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Barry, James |
Achitect |
Barry was commissioned by the Chicago Archdiocese to design the new OLA school with every possible fire safety feature. |
Barsanti, Robert |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 207 |
Barsella, Authur |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 204 |
Barth, Marjean |
Nursing School Faculty Member at St. Anne's Hospital |
Marjean spent Monday evening in contact with other hospitals, collecting names of injured students admitted to other hospitals, helping frantic parents find their children. |
Bartolo, Doug |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room B |
Bavaro, Frances |
Fourth grade girl |
Becker, Fred C. |
Fireman |
Fred was a member of one of the hook and ladder companies that fought the fire. He passed away in 1990. |
Bellino, Concetta |
Fourth grade girl age 8 in room 210 |
As Connie started climbing down a ladder, her hair was on fire. Firemen saw her burning hair and aimed a hose at her, but the powerful stream of water knocked her off the ladder. She was caught by one of the fathers on the alley side of the school, saving her from serious injury. Sister of Sam Bellino. |
Bellino, Sam |
Boy age 7 |
Brother of Concentta Bellino. |
Belluomini, Roy |
First grade boy age 7 in room 107 |
Benton, William |
Salvation Army Captain |
Benton headed up the Salvation Army staff that served thousands of cups of coffee, doughnuts and sandwiches through the night to workers at the fire. They also handed out new dry gloves to rescue workers. |
Benza, Charlene |
(See Campanale, Charlene) |
Benza, Veronica |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Cousin of Charlene Campanale Benza |
Berg, Edward |
Fifth grade boy age 10 |
Brother of Gloria Berg. |
Berg, Gloria |
Eighth grade girl in room 209 |
Sister of Edward Berg. |
Bermingham, Rev. Richard |
St. Anne's Hospital Chaplain |
Father Bermingham blessed and comforted some of the OLA victims during their hospital stay. |
Bertucci, Diane |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Henry and Linda Bertucci, cousin of George and Janice Pomilia, and Joanne, Mary Ellen, and John Pettenon. |
Bertucci, Henry |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 207 |
Henry opened a window and climbed out, dropping onto the fire escape, causing it to drop down into the gangway between the school and rectory. Janitor James Raymond was then able to go up the fire escape and unlock the rear door of room 207, thereby saving the lives of the 40+ children in that classroom. Brother of Diane and Linda Bertucci, cousin of George and Janice Pomilia, and Joanne, Mary Ellen, and John Pettenon. |
Bertucci, Linda |
Third grade girl age 8 |
Sister of Diane and Henry Bertucci, cousin of George and Janice Pomilia, and Joanne, Mary Ellen, and John Pettenon. |
Berzins, Alexander |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 108 |
Biancalana, Luisella |
First grade girl age 6 |
Sister of Peter Biancalana. |
Biancalana, Peter |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Brother of Luisella Biancalana. |
Bianco, Nick |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Bigley, Thomas |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Thomas escaped without injury. “Some of the kids got scared on the way out. We couldn't see through the smoke until we got to the bannister where we made the turn to go down the steps.” |
Bilotti, Robert |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Theresa Bilotti. |
Bilotti, Theresa |
Sixth grade girl age 11 |
Theresa later married James Sansone. Sister of Robert Bilotti. |
Bingham, William J. |
Senior Fire Alarm Operator |
Bingham took the first phone call reporting the fire at Our Lady of the Angels school, and dispatched the first units to the scene. |
Biscan, Alan |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Daivd Biscan. |
Biscan, David |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Brother of David Biscan. |
Bisconti, Joann |
Second grade girl |
Sister of Laura Bisconti. |
Bisconti, Laura |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Laura suffered burns but survived. She was treated at Norwegian American Hospital. Sister of JoAnn Bisconti. |
Bluchin, Patricia |
Girl age 6 |
Bluhm, Linda |
Fourth grade girl |
Bobrowicz, Richard |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Bobrowicz, Thelma |
Second grade girl |
Sister of Richard Bobrowicz. |
Bodnar, Damian |
Fireman |
Bodnar was a young member of Hook and Ladder Company 26. He become a fireman in 1956 and went on to a distinguished career in the fire service. He passed away in May 2010 at age 81. |
Bolzan, Ada Maria |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 204 |
Bonadonna, Joseph |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Borrelli, Joseph A. |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 |
Joseph jumped into a fireman's net from his second floor classroom, and spent four months in the hospital recovering from broken bones and third degree burns. Sister of Maria Borrelli. |
Borrelli, Maria |
First grade girl |
Sister of Joseph Borrelli. |
Brannigan, Francis L. |
Fireman |
Brannigan later became chief of the Port Republic, Maryland Fire Department. Designated one of the 20 people who most influenced the fire service in the 20th century, Brannigan has been honored as a fellow by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, even though his degree isn't in engineering. He is the author of Building Construction for the Fire Service, Third Edition, published by the NFPA. |
Brietenbach, Sister Judian |
Nursing Supervisor |
Brocato, Anthony |
First grade boy in Joseph Hall |
Brocato, Joseph |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Joseph and classmate Ronald Edington were emptying wastebaskets in the boiler room when the janitor, James Raymond, ran through and yelled for someone to call the fire department. “Suddenly, I saw the janitor running from the boiler room. The janitor shouted, 'Call the fire department.' My classmates and I ran upstairs and we were told by the nuns to go into the church. A lot of children were in the church. We then were told to go home.” |
Brock, Dennis |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Mary and Gerald Brock. |
Brock, Gerald |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Brother of Mary and Dennis Brock. |
Brock, Mary |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Mary was rescued by firemen and admitted to St. Anne's Hospital with minor injuries. Sister of Gerald and Dennis Brock. |
Brown, Carol |
Fourth grade girl |
Brown, Raymond |
Fourth grade boy |
Brown, Sgt. Drew |
Chicago Police Arson Investigator |
Brown investigated the fire but was never able to state with certainty that the fire was caused by arson. |
Brugeman, Stephen |
Nursing Supervisor |
Bruno, Hal |
Reporter for the Chicago American |
Bruno was a reporter and volunteer firefighter who frequently rode with Chicago firemen. He was one of the first reporters at the scene and reported extensively on the tragedy. Bruno passed away on November 8, 2011 at age 83, due to complications from a fall at his home on November 4, 2011. |
Bucaro, Frank |
Eighth grade boy age 14 in room 211 |
Frank was uninjured because he was at the church helping with a clothing drive. |
Buck, George |
Fireman |
George was an engineer with Engine Company 95, which responded to the box alarm placed at 2:44 pm. |
Burda, Beverly Ann |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 (fatality) |
Beverly was the only student in her classroom who was unable to escape, having been overcome by smoke inhalation. Beverly's father, Stanley Burda, was in the hospital after having a metal splinter removed from his left eye when the fire occurred. He was released from the hospital early to attend his daughter's funeral with peculiar looking pin-hole glasses and instructions from his doctor not to cry! It was feared that the salt from his tears could permanently damage his vision. Sister of Dale and Frank Burda, cousin of Dennis and David DeBoer and Laura Hoblit. |
Burda, Dale |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Brother of Beverly and Frank Burda, cousin of Dennis and David DeBoer and of Laura Hoblit. |
Burda, Frank |
First grade boy |
Brother of Beverly and Dale Burda, cousin of Dennis and David DeBoer and of Laura Hoblit. |
Buziak, Helen |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Buzzanca, Mary |
Third grade girl age 8 in room A |
Byrne, John J. |
Policeman |
Byrne helped grief stricken families to identify their children at the county morgue. Throughout his 39-year career as a Chicago Police Officer, he said working with the families of OLA victims was the hardest assignment of his life. John passed away on June 26, 2000. |
- C - |
Cain, Jonathan |
See Jonathan Friga |
Calabrese, Gail |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Gail escaped without injury. |
Calavacca, Frances |
Girl |
Callahan, James |
St. Anne's Hospital Chief of Staff |
Callaway, John |
CBS News reporter |
Callaway covered the OLA fire for WBBM TV/Radio, the CBS affiliate in Chicago. Today he is one of the most respected broadcast journalists in the country. He narrated the Emmy Award Winning “Angels Too Soon”. |
Calvacca, Frances |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Camerini, Mario |
Assistant Janitor |
Mario located the only parish extension ladder long enough to reach the second floor windows and placed it at one of room 208's windows. Approximately twenty-five students thus escaped from room 208 who might not otherwise have. |
Campagna, Cynthia |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Cousin of Dominic and Celeste Florio. |
Campanale, Charlene |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Charlene survived by jumping, or falling, from a window in room 210. The fall broke her back and she spent nearly three months in the hospital, having to lie completely immobile the entire time. When she finally went home, she spent seven months in a body cast, followed by a torso brace. She later attended the new Our Lady of the Angels school. In 2003 Charlene, a special education teacher, became president of Friends of OLA. She passed away unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm on November 30, 2003, one day before the 45th anniversary of the OLA fire. Cousin of Veronica Benza. |
Campion, James |
Eighth grade boy in room 211 |
Campion, Mary Ellen |
Fifth grade girl |
Cangelosi, Peter |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 (fatality) |
Cannella, George |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Cannella, Marlene |
Third grade girl |
Sister of George and Michael Cannella. |
Cannella, Michael |
First grade boy |
Brother of George and Marlene Cannella. |
Cannella, Sam |
Second grade boy |
Cousin of George, Marlene and Michael Cannella. |
Cannello, Joseph |
First grade boy age 6 in room 107 |
Joseph escaped without injury. Brother of Phyllis Cannello. |
Cannello, Phyllis |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 205 |
Sister of Joseph Cannello. |
Cannataro, Ralph |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Caponera, Paul |
Third grade boy in room 109 |
Caputo, Peggy |
Fourth grade girl |
Carbona, Annette |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 101 |
Sister of Michael Carbona. |
Carbona, Michael |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Brother of Annette Carbona. |
Cardamone, Anthony |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Brother of Antoinette Cardamone. |
Cardamone, Antoinette |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Antoinette was not feeling well and did not return to school after lunch, possibly saving her life. Sister of Anthony Cardamone. |
Carolan, Sister Andrienne |
Seventh grade teacher in room 201 |
Sister Andrienne Carolan's quick reaction to the invasion of smoke in the south wing hallway allowed all of her students to escape the school unharmed. The smoke was so thick in the halls and eventually the classrooms, that about 15 students could not see to escape. Sister Andrienne ran back through the suffocating smoke, located her remaining students and led them through the blinding, poisonous smoke to safety and clean air outside. |
Carr, Kathleen |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Carr, Robert |
Fourth grade boy |
Caruso, Julie |
Fifth grade girl in room 105 |
Sister of Nina Caruso. |
Caruso, Nina |
Sixth grade girl in room 207 |
Sister of Julie Caruso. |
Casale, Jennifer |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 105 |
Sister of John Casale. |
Casale, John |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Jennifer Casale. |
Casale, Joseph |
Insurance Agent |
Joseph arrived at the school around 2:43 pm to pick up his children and noticed smoke coming from the northeast corner of the building. He ran into the alley on the north side of the school where he saw children hanging out of the second floor windows. He then entered the north wing through the Avers entrance, and ran to the east end of the main hall on the first floow. Upon finding all classrooms evacuated, he continued through the annex and back outdoors on Iowa Street. He then ran back around to the Avers entrance again and up the west stairs to the second floor. The smoke here was so heavy he could barely see or breathe. He tried to vent some of the smoke by breaking out several windows on the second floor landing and badly cut his arm in the process. The heat and smoke quickly forced him down the stairs. Once back outdoors, he encountered numerous injured children who had jumped from the second floor. He loaded four injured children into his car and rushed them to the hospital, where he was also treated for his injuries. |
Cascella, Michael |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in rom 211 |
Michael was not in his classroom during the fire because he was outside helping with a clothing drive when the fire started. |
Cascio, Karen |
Sixth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Cousin of Nancy Pilas. |
Casey, Sister Mary St. Florence |
Teacher |
Casey, Sister St. Florence |
Our Lady of the Angels school principal |
Sister Florence was substituting in the south wing for a sick teacher at the time of the fire. |
Casto, Marty |
Seventh grade boy age 11 in room 201 |
Marty escaped without injury. |
Castrovillari, Annamarie |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Sister of Wayne and Carmine Castrovillari, cousin of Sally and Donna Shillcutt. |
Castrovillari, Carmine |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 108 |
Brother of Wayne and Annamarie Castrovillari, cousin of Sally and Donna Shillcutt. |
Castrovillari, Wayne |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Brother of Carmine and Annamarie Castrovillari, cousin of Sally and Donna Shillcutt. |
Catalano, Anthony A. |
Fireman |
Anthony passed away on January 15, 2001. |
Catalano, Jeanie |
Seventh grade girl age 13 in room 208 |
Jeanie suffered a broken leg in jumping from her classroom. Cousin of Joseph and MaryAnne Modica. |
Cecille, Sister Mary Jean |
Third grade teacher in room A |
Cerceo, Mary Frances |
Second grade girl |
Cousin-in-law of Betti Marino. |
Cerone, Louis |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Louis tumbled down a ladder from his second floor classroom, breaking his kneecap. Brother of Rosa Cerone. |
Cerone, Rosa |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Rosa escaped without injury. Sister of Louis Cerone. |
Chambers, Daniel |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 103 |
Brother of Patrick Chambers. |
Chambers, Margaret |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Chambers, Patrick |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 204 |
Brother of Daniel Chambers. |
Champagne, Sister Mary Clare Therese |
Fifth grade teacher in room 212, age 27 (fatality) |
Sister Mary Clara Therese was born Eloise Champagne in New Orleans on May 20, 1931 and entered the BVM Community on February 2, 1950. Before Our Lady of the Angels, she was assigned to St. Joseph School in Wichita, Kansas. |
Chiappetta, Arthur |
Seventh grade boy |
Brother of Joan Ann and Robert Chiappetta. |
Chiappetta, Aurelius Jr. |
Eighth grade boy age 14 in room 211 (fatality) |
Chiappetta, Joan Anne |
Fourth grade girl age 10 in room 210 (fatality) |
Sister of Robert Chiappetta. |
Chiappetta, Robert |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 203 |
Robert passed away on March 6, 2018. Brother of Joan Anne Chiappetta. |
Chiero, Tom |
Fourth grade boy in room B |
Chiko, Denise |
First grade girl age 6 in room 107 |
Denise's birthday was December 1, and her class was in the middle of a birthday party in her honor when the fire started. Everyone in her class escaped safely. |
Chrzas, Joan |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Chrzas, Marilyn |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
mother of three and grandmother of 9. She passed away on October 20, 2011. Sister of Joan Chrzas. |
Cibelli, Mary |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Luckily, Mary stayed home the day of the fire because she had not studied for a math test, and consequently was not injured. |
Cibelli, Rosemary |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Cichocki, Bernice |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Bernice was identified only through dental records. |
Cilella, Alfred J. |
Family Court Judge |
On March 13, 1962, Judge Cilella dismissed charges against a then 13-year-old boy who was charged with setting the OLA school fire. The judge reasoned that the boy was too young under Illinois law to be found guilty of a felony, even if it were true, and he feared for the boy's life if he were to find him responsible for the deaths of 95 persons. Given that, and the fact that he wanted to help the archdiocese avoid further difficulties, he ruled that there was insufficient evidence to find the boy guilty. Before becoming a judge, Cilella served as a Democratic Alderman from the 36th Ward, where he successfully pushed for the floridation of Chicago's water supply. Before that, he was a star college baseball player, and even tried out unsuccessfully for the New York Giants, ultimately chosing a career in law over a career in sports. Alfred Cilella passed away at age 54 on August 4, 1964. |
Ciminello, Rosalie |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Cimperale, Ralph |
Boy |
Ciochon, Roseanna |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Ciolino, Jo Ann |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Ciolino, Sarah |
Third grade girl |
Sister of Jo Ann Ciolino. |
Ciucci, Orlando |
Third grade boy age 10 in room 101 |
Brother of Rita Ciucci. |
Ciucci, Rita |
Girl age 9 |
Sister of Orlando Ciucci. |
Clark, Ralph |
Fireman |
Clark was a member of Engine Company 85, the first Company to arrive at the fire. He worked with Henry Holden, Charles Robinson, and other firemen attempting to rescue children from room 212. |
Cleary, James |
Chicago Police Arson Investigator |
Jim was one of four arson investigators present at the fire. He was the first to question Joseph Brocato and Ronald Edington, the last two students to carry wastepaper from their classroom to the basement before the fire was discovered. |
Cleary, Tom |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Coduti, Patricia |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 209 |
Colletti, John |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 203 |
John escaped and ran home, along with his buddy, Bobby Chiappetta. The two returned to the school to search for Bobby's sister, Joanne, but were unable locate her. They learned the following day that Joanne did not survive. |
Collins, Jerry |
Chicago Police Arson Investigator |
Collins arrived at the height of the fire, along with three other arson investigators, and immediately began investigating possible causes for the fire. |
Comarolo, Carmella |
Fourth grade girl |
Comerola, Carmella |
Girl |
Como, Gary |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room B |
Compiani, Maria |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 101 |
Consiglio, Frank |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Frank fell unconscious to the floor of his classroom, but was awakened when he was stepped on. He climbed onto a window sill but decided not to jump. He was eventually rescued by firemen and taken to Franklin Hospital suffering from burns. |
Consolazio, Daniel |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 105 |
Cool, Robert |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 109 |
Bob escaped without injury. |
Corbo, Rev. Alfred |
One of four associate pastors living in the rectory at the time of the fire |
Corsiglia, Gail |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 205 |
Corsiglia, Millicent |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Millicent reached a window where fireman Charles Kamin was yanking children out as quickly as he could, but the room flashed over before he was able to get her out. |
Corsiglia, Pamela |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Pam was one of many students who transferred out of the OLA school after the fire. Sister of Millicent and Gail Corsiglia. |
Cortesi, Raymond |
Eighth grade boy in room 211 |
Ray was at home sick the day of the fire. |
Corvo, Richard |
Boy |
Coughlan, Dorothy |
Fifth grade lay teacher in room 205 |
After conferring with teacher Pearl Tristano in room 206, Coughlan and Tristano successfully led their students out of the school to safety. Initially, they waited briefly while trying to locate the school principal, who was substituting for an absent teacher, before taking the initiative and leading their students to safety outside the building. Their willingness to act contrary to the strict school rules (leaving without the principal's approval) saved many lives. |
Courtney, Nancy |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 207 |
Cozzola, Richard |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Rick's classroom was in Joseph Hall, one of the classroom buildings south of the church. Cousin of Matt Jameson. |
Cribari, Teresa |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 104 |
Culhane, Patrick T. |
Police Investigator |
Culhane was a police investigator who arrived on scene within two hours and went through the building even before the bodies had been removed. He was deeply affected by what he saw. Patrick passed away in 2005 |
Culp, Karen Ann |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Culp, Paul |
First grade boy |
Brother of Karen Culp. |
Cumbo, David |
Part-time Volunteer Janitor |
Cumbo was ill and not present at the fire. |
Curcio, John |
Third grade boy age 8 in room B |
Curcio, Joseph |
Fifth grade boy in room 212 |
Curio, Ronald |
Seventh grade boy age 12 |
Curio, Rosemary |
Fourth grade girl |
Curtis, Cheryl |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Niece of Maria Salemi and Andrew Salemi. |
Cusack, James |
Policeman |
Cusimano, Josephine |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 209 |
Cussen, Joseph |
Senior Pastor of Our Lady of the Angels |
Monsignor Joseph Cussen lived in the rectory along with two other monsignors |
Cutro, George |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room B |
- D - |
D'Amico, Rosalind |
Fourth grade girl |
D'Amore, Andrew |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Brother of Joseph D'Amore |
D'Amore, Joseph |
Sixth grade boy in south wing |
Brother of Andrew D'Amore |
Daley, Raymond J. |
Fireman |
Daley was a CFD Chief Marshall, and one of the first to enter the second floor via the windows on the north side, but it was too late. |
Daley, Richard J. |
Mayor of Chicago |
Danesi, Annette |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 209 |
Anette escaped through the corner window of her classroom, like many in her class, with the help of Father Ognibene and parent Sam Tortorice. Sister of Susan Danesi. |
Danesi, Susan |
Third grade girl age 8 |
Sister of Annette Danesi. |
Dattmo, Joseph |
Seventh grade boy in room 201 |
Joe was one of a number of students who carried their room's waste papers to the basement the afternoon of the fire. |
Davis, Johanna |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Johanna suffered burns and was hospitalized at St. Anne's. |
DeBoer, David |
First grade boy |
Brother of Dennis DeBoer, cousin of Beverly, Dale and Frank Burda and Laura Hoblit. |
DeBoer, Dennis |
Fifth grade boy |
Brother of David DeBoer, cousin of Beverly, Dale and Frank Burda and Laura Hoblit. |
DeChristopher, Phillip J. |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Phillip later became a physician. |
Deciglio, Davis |
Boy |
DeCristofano, James |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 207 |
Degidio, Nancy |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
DeGiulio, Maria |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 212 (fatality) |
Degroot, Clifford J. |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Clifford was hospitalized with minor injuries. Clifford passed away on November 26, 2009. Brother of Dorothy and Mary Joy DeGroot. |
Degroot, Dorothy |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Sister of Clifford and Mary Joy DeGroot. |
Degroot, Mary Joy |
Second grade girl |
Sister of Clifford and Dorothy DeGroot. |
DeGuilio, James |
Second grade boy in room |
Del Debbio, Patricia |
Fourth grade girl |
Sister of Patricia Del Debbio. |
Del Debbio, Paul |
Sixth grade boy |
Brother of Paul Del Debbio. |
Dellaria, Janet |
Eighth grade girl in room 211 |
Janet, along with Karen Hobik and Frances Guzaldo, returned to room 211 after running an errand, and reported smoke in the hallway. Janet survived the fire -- Karen and Frances did not. |
Delgenio, Michael |
Kindergarten Boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
DelJuidice, Gerald |
Fifth grade boy |
Della, Darlene |
Second grade girl in room 102 |
Sister of Frank Della. |
Della, Frank |
Fourth grade boy in room 210 |
Frank was severely burned but survived. He had passed out on the floor of his classroom, but firemen were able to quickly pull him out a window to safety. He spent two months in the hospital recovering from his injuries. Brother of Darlene Della |
Demko, Emile |
Police Detective |
Detective Demko was one of the police investigators who investigated the fire, trying to determine whether or not the fire was arson. |
DePalma, Dominic |
Seventh grade boy age 13 |
Brother of Theresa DePalma. |
Depalma, Theresa |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Sister of Dominic DePalma. |
DePasquale, Sam |
Fourth grade boy |
DePhillips, James |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 |
Jimmy managed to climb out a window onto a ladder, but his clothing was on fire. He was then blown off the ladder by a blast of water from a fire hose by a fireman who saw his burning clothes. He suffered burns to his ear, face and leg, spent the night at St. Anne's Hospital and was released the next day |
DeSanto, Joseph |
Fifth grade boy age 11 |
Brother of Nancy DeSanto. |
DeSanto, Nancy Mary |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
DeSario, Nick |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 207 |
Brother of Marilyn DeSario, cousin of Gerald, Kristine, and Judith DeSario. |
DeSimone, Marilyn |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 205 |
"It was 2:50 p.m. and Mrs. Coughlan always looked out the transom above the door at the clock just outside the room - just above what was the store (we bought little religious trinkets and such from there). I remember a puzzled look on her face. She opened the door and smoke started pouring into the room. She told us all to remain seated and left the room. When she returned she told us all to stay calm and remember our fire drills (we had just had one the previous week). I remember the black dense smoke. I couldn't see where I was going. I remembered not to touch the walls. We were always told the walls could be hot. When I got to the stairs, and started down, others were pushing. I ended up falling down a portion of the stairs, but was not injured. While we stood outside in our assigned areas, I remember someone saying that everyone had gotten out all right." |
DeStefano, Basil |
Seventh grade boy in room 201 |
Basil led a group of his classmates out of the school to safety. |
Devine, Miles |
Battalion Chief |
Devine was Chief of the 18th Battalion of the Chicago Fire Department. Soon after arriving at the scene, the roof of the school collapsed. Knowing children were trapped beneath the fallen roof, he immediately called for a 5-11 alarm, skipping a 3rd and 4th alarm. Although the fire was soon extinguished, it was too late and the rescue operation turned into a grim recovery operation. |
Devine, Sister Mary Davidis |
Eighth grade teacher in room 209 |
Sister Davidis Devine's quick thinking probably helped account for the low death rate in room 209. She ordered the children to quickly stack books in front of the cracks around the doors, slowing the suffocating smoke's entry into the room. Only one student died in her classroom, and another died in the hospital some months later. Sister Davidis passed away on October 14, 2006, after celebrating her 100th birthday on June 4, 2006. |
DeVitto, Richard |
Eighth grade boy in room 209 |
Richard escaped out the window nearest the annex and onto the canopy below. |
DiCanio, Richard R. |
Sixth grade boy age 12 in room 205 |
Diciglio, Dennis |
Boy age 11 |
Brother of LeeRoy Diciglio. |
Diciglio, LeeRoy |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 |
LeeRoy was badly burned and remained in the hospital for months after the fire. Brother of Dennis Diciglio. |
DiCiolla, Colomba |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 206 |
Sister of Joseph and Michael DiCiolla. |
DiCiolla, Joseph |
Sixth grade boy in room 204 |
Brother of Colomba and Michael DiCiolla. |
DiCiolla, Michael |
Kindergarten boy in Mary Hall |
Brother of Colomba and Joseph DiCiolla. |
DiDomenico, Kathleen |
School Secretary |
Digioie, Joseph |
Sixth grade boy |
DiGiulio, James |
Second grade boy in room 103 |
DiGiulio, Nancy Rose |
Third grade girl age 8 |
Dilillo, Thomas |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 207 |
DiMaso, Clara |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Niece of Grace DiMaso. |
DiMaso, Grace |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 201 |
Aunt of Clara DiMaso. |
DiMatteo, Dominick Jr. |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Dini, Donna |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Dioguardi, Michael |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 204 |
Di Orio, Theresa |
Seventh grade girl age 12 |
Theresa escaped without injury. |
DiPompeo, Lois |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 101 |
"As a journalist, I've been able to write about the school fire, helping to heighten awareness of fire safety. Also, as a school board member of a suburban high school district for the past ten years, I've served as an advocate for safe schools by supporting health and life/safety referenda, urged state legislators to lift health and life/safety mandates out from under the tax cap, and talked to students whenever asked about fire safety." Sister of Rick DiPompeo. |
DiPompeo, Rick |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Brother of Lois DiPompeo. |
Dixon, Clarence |
Fireman |
Clarence was a young fireman assigned to Engine Company 85. For the rest of his life, when someone would bring up the OLA fire, he would become choked up and turn away. His son, Dan, recalls the day of the fire: “I was 7 years old and went to 'Five Holy Martyrs' on the south side ... I remember my dad coming home, and for two days each time he looked at my baby sister or me, he would burst into tears and cry for a long period of time. All I can remember him saying was that they were the first company on the scene and that they put up ladders to rescue the kids. I never brought up the subject and he never talked about it.” Clarence passed away a few years ago. |
Doherty, Owen |
Fire Department Senior Alarm Operator |
Owen was one of the operators on duty when the first alarm was turned in. |
Domico, Paula |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Paula escaped thanks to James Raymond and Father Hund, who opened the locked rear classroom door and led the class down the fire escape to safety. |
Dooley, Patty |
First grade girl age 5 in Joseph Hall |
Dovick, Emmet |
Boy |
Dowling, Mary |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Niece of Kenneth and Stanley Kaletta. |
Drangel, Daniel |
Police Lab Chemist |
Drangel investigated the fire's point of origin, looking for combustables and accelerants that would indicate arson. |
Driscoll, James |
Fireman |
Driscoll was a member of Ladder Company 26. He arrived after the 5-11 alarm and ended up riding to the morgue in an ambulance containing the bodies of several children and a nun. |
Drzymala, Patricia |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Duchene, Richard |
Fireman |
Duchene was a member of Hook and Ladder Company 26. He later recalled: “Civilians went up the ladders to do what they could. Firemen were too busy trying to catch or break the falls of children leaping from the building. The children were screaming and jumping faster than we could catch them. It was the worst thing I ever saw ... children on the ground everywhere.” Duchene was one of the firefighters assigned to remove bodies after the fire. “The bodies seemed to be coming out in truckloads. I don't know which was worse; putting kids into ambulances knowing they would be dead before they went a block, or seeing the little forms trapped at the rear of the building.” |
Dumovich, Joseph |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Joe's classroom was in the south wing of the school, but he was in the principal's office (also in the south wing) when the fire broke out. He escaped without injury. Today, Joe is a retired firefighter from the Des Plaines, Illinois Fire Department. |
Dumovich, Steve |
Seventh grade boy age 11 in room 201 |
Steve escaped from room 201 in the south wing of the school, without injury. Today he is Fire Chief with the Wilmette, Illinois Fire Department. |
Duncan, Raymond |
Fifth grade boy |
Raymond was hospitalized with burn injuries. |
Dunn, Catherine |
Second grade girl |
Sister of Larry, David and Thomas Dunn. |
Dunn, David |
Third grade boy |
Brother of Larry, Catherine and Thomas Dunn. |
Dunn, Lawrence J. |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Brother of Catherine, David and Thomas Dunn |
Dunn, Thomas |
Kindergarten boy in Mary Hall |
Brother of Larry, Catherine and David Dunn. |
Dyra, William |
Fireman |
- E - |
Early, Robert |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Robert climbed out of the windows in his classroom, and was shoved off by others attempting to scramble out. He spent three weeks in the hospital with a broken foot. |
Edgar, Sister Mary |
Teacher in room 101 |
Edington, Carol |
Sister of William, Ronald and Patricia Edington. |
Edington, Carol |
Second grade girl |
Sister of William, Ronald and Patricia Edington. |
Edington, Patricia |
Sister of William, Ronald and Carol Edington. |
Edington, Patricia |
Fourth grade girl |
Sister of William, Ronald and Carol Edington. |
Edington, Ronald |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Ronald and Joseph Brocato were emptying wastebaskets in the boiler room when the janitor, James Raymond, ran through and yelled for someone to call the fire department. Brother of William, Carol and Patricia Edington. |
Edington, William R. Jr. |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
William passed away on August 9, 1959 - the last victim of Our Lady of the Angels fire to die. Brother of Ronald, Carol and Patricia Edington. |
Egan, Rev. Msgr. John Joseph |
Senior Pastor at Our Lady of the Angels |
[Webmaster's note: the following account is from a much larger news article chronicling the life of Monsignor Egan, and is presented here as such, not as fact.] Monsignor John Joseph Egan had a call from Bishop William E. McManus, superintendent of Chicago's parochial schools, on the first day of December, 1958. “There's a fire out at Our Lady of Angels,” he told Jack, “and I think you should get out there.” Monsignor Joseph F. Cussen had given Jack Egan a room on the third floor of Our Lady of Angels rectory. The location on the near West Side at Iowa and Hamlin Streets was convenient to Jack's downtown office. “I put on my hat and coat and jumped in my car and followed one of the fire trucks racing out Chicago Avenue. I couldn't park within two blocks,” Jack recalls. Archbishop Meyer—only two weeks since his installation—and the pastor, Monsignor Cussen, milled with the thousands of people jamming Avers Avenue. Parents were struggling with the police to get past them to the school doors. A nun inside the building was screaming, “We are trapped. We are trapped.” Children were jumping from the second floor windows. Some had leaped toward firemen's ladders and missed, falling to ground already littered with children and soaked with blood. Other children were clinging to the ledges. Scores of onlookers fainted at what Fire Commissioner Robert Quinn called “the worst thing I have ever seen or ever will see.” Battalion chiefs wept. “We tried. God, how we tried, but we couldn't move fast enough. No one could live in that fire.” Firemen were battling through the flames to bring out the victims. Parents searched frantically for their youngsters as firemen emptied the smoldering building built at 909 N. Avers Avenue in 1904, substantially expanded in 1911, and remodeled in 1951. The Tribune reporter described priests kneeling to give last rites “to canvas covered forms which were once children.” He described a desperate young father yelling at his wife, “Why didn't you tell her to stay home today?” Tales of heroism were many. An eleven-year-old mourned his teacher Sister St. Canice, who struggled to get her students out the second story window. “She helped me onto a ladder there,” Thomas Handschiegel told a Tribune reporter. “The last I saw of her was when she went back into the room and disappeared into the smoke. I think she could have gotten out, but she stayed to help the kids.” A nun who wouldn't identify herself to the reporter made six trips into the building to lead out groups of sixth and seventh graders. She rolled some of her students down the stairs to get them out quickly. The priests from the rectory had run to save the children at the first alarm. Father Joseph Ognibene, who'd been in the parish ten years and knew many of the children well, was part of a chain of rescuers. A father who'd heard girls shouting, “Save me, save me,” straddled an open window from which he lowered the girls, one by one, through the window five feet down to a ledge above the school entrance. There Father Ognibene and another parent grabbed them and pulled them to safety. A neighbor who heard a priest yell, “There's children in there. It's on fire,” made six trips in to lead children out until the smoke and flames made it impossible to enter. Later, a reporter saw Father Ognibene, near collapse, at the morgue trying to recognize the bodies of the children he knew so well. “It wasn't a great fire,” Jack Egan remembers, “but the smoke was unbelievable. The fire equipment was poor. The ladders didn't reach to the second floor. The children suffocated.” Father Egan accompanied a fireman into a schoolroom where forty-four children sat in parochial school decorum, at their seats, heads in hands—dead. And at the front of the room, her head in her hands, sat their teacher, like the children—erect, disciplined and dead. As Jack Egan reconstructed their last minutes, “A lot of nuns asked children to sit there and pray. I'll never forget it. Everything perfectly orderly.” [Webaster's note: The preceeding account, which became a popular urban legend, has been completely discredited - no such thing happened in any room. A few students were found dead sitting at their desks, overcome by smoke before they could move, but never an entire class.] The fire had erupted at 2:40 p.m., only twenty minutes before the children would have been dismissed for the day. The alarm went in at 2:42. Fire trucks were on Avers within three minutes. But smoke engulfed the second floor so quickly—the firemen called the accumulation of smoke, heat and flames that coursed through the hall when doors and windows were opened “a hot box”—that three Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and ninety-two children died. Seventy-six children were injured. The school was almost completely destroyed. “I have to admit it,” Father Egan says, describing the firemen carrying child after child out, “I was relieved when they carried the body of a nun out. They carried three out. It would have been a greater tragedy if no nuns had died along with their students.” The whole city mourned, every citizen able to put him/herself into the position of the parents who had sent bright, lively, uniformed children to learn about the exports of Egypt that morning and now would never oversee another page of their scribbled homework. Chicagoans read about Mayor Daley's arrival at the scene, about Archbishop Meyer's visits to the injured at St. Anne's Hospital, and about the drab, yellow brick building at 1828 Polk where “three hundred mothers and fathers huddled in stricken groups or, crazed with grief, roamed the corridors trying to buttonhole hurrying attendants” at the county morgue. Priests and Sisters from all parts of the city quickly gathered at the scene. “Thank God I was able to keep my composure,” Father Egan says today, “and thank God for the priests and Sisters of the archdiocese of Chicago. As the firemen put each child into each ambulance, I put a priest or a Sister with the child. `You stay with that child and you stay with that family,' I said.” Jack was firm with each of the religious, understanding the stress under which each of them was operating. “This is your family,” he would stress with each one. “Now pay attention to me. You visit the hospital. You go to the wake. You sit with the family. You go to the funeral with them. You come back with them and then you visit them and visit them and visit them. You are their personal chaplain.” He followed the same routine with the families of injured children. “I think that helped the grieving parents.” Both Fathers Egan and Joseph Fitzgerald quit their jobs and stayed at Our Lady of the Angels for the next month. “We worked morning, noon, and night,” Egan recalls. Archbishop Meyer celebrated a Solemn Pontifical Mass for twenty-seven of the fire victims on December 5 at the Northwest Armory at North Avenue and Kedzie. Funeral Masses continued throughout the day in other churches of the archdiocese for the remaining victims of the fire. Archbishop Meyer did his best to solace the grieving parents and relatives. He was comforted in turn by a little man from New York. As priests vested for the funeral Mass at the armory, Father Egan saw Francis Cardinal Spellman come up to the archbishop, holding out his hands. The archbishop looked down with gratitude at the fellow religious who'd come to his side in this time of greatest need. The two most powerful prelates in the American Church embraced. Father Tom McDonough, chaplain of the Calvert Club at the University of Chicago, had taken Father Egan to Florida for some much-needed recuperation after the Our Lady of the Angels fire. Walking and praying through the tragedy with the mourning families had taken a monstrous toll on the priests involved. “Monsignor Cussen, poor man, never recovered,” Father Egan recalls. “He just sat in his rocker and rocked away the rest of his life.” |
Egelhof, Joseph |
Chicago Tribune Reporter |
Joe wrote the main story for the first edition of the Tribune following the fire. |
Elia Andy |
Sixth grade boy in room 204 |
Elia, Andy |
Sixth grade boy in room 204 |
Elkins, Margaret |
Fourth grade girl |
Elliott, Richard |
Reporter |
Elliott, a reporter for radio station WJJD, received a National Headline Club award for his excellent coverage of the OLA fire, and the still photographs he took between broadcasts. |
English, George |
Fourth grade boy |
Ennis, Sister Mary Geraldita |
Fifth/sixth grade teacher in room 207 |
Everyone escaped from in room 207 (but just barely) thanks to the heroic efforts of the school janitor, James Raymond and a parish priest, Father Charles Hund, who unlocked the emergency exit door of the room and led children to the fire escape just yards away. Everyone escaped and the only injury was to a boy who jumped from a window to the fire escape. Sister Geraldita suffered an emotional breakdown not long after the fire and, after recovering, was transferred to a school in Iowa. She retired from teaching in 1988, and passed away in 1997. |
Eppolito, Anthony |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Cousin of Nancy Courtney. |
Erbstoesser, James |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Jimmy survived by jumping from a window in room 212, but suffered two broken ankles and a broken arm as a result of the fall, and was hospitalized for nearly two weeks. |
Esposito, David J. |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
David escaped without injury. Brother of Linda and Lana Esposito, cousin of Don Muscolino. |
Esposito, Lana |
Third grade girl in room 101 |
Sister of David and Linda Esposito, cousin of Don Muscolino. |
Esposito, Linda |
Third grade girl in room 101 |
Sister of David and Lana Esposito, cousin of Don Muscolino. |
Eunice, Sister Mary |
First grade teacher in room 107 |
- F - |
Fabino, Theresa |
Fourth grade girl |
Fauci, Joseph |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 104 |
Faustina, Sister Mary |
Second grade teacher in room 104 |
Fedanzo, Eugene |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Brother of Robert and Nola Fedanzo, cousin of Mike Fedanzo |
Fedanzo, Mike |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 204 |
Cousin of Gene, Nola and Robert Fedanzo |
Fedanzo, Nola Marie |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Sister of Robert and Eugene Fedanzo, cousin of Mike Fedanzo. |
Fedanzo, Robert |
Eighth grade boy |
Brother of Gene and Nola Fedanzo, cousin of Mike Fedanzo |
Felzan, John |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 105 |
Brother of Prudence Felzan. |
Felzan, Prudence |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 211 |
Prudence had a piano lesson at 2:30 in the convent and was therefore out of the classroom during the fire. Sister of John Felzan. |
Ferlic, Frank |
State Attorney's Assistant |
Ferlic participated in the investigation of the fire. |
Ferra, Kenneth Paul |
Eighth grade boy age 12 in room 211 |
Kenneth was out of the classroom on an errand for his teacher, and therefore was not injured. |
Filipponio, Annette |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Lucille and Phyllis Filipponio. |
Filipponio, Lucille |
Fourth grade girl age 8 in room 210 (fatality) |
Lucille's body was never identified. Sister of Phyllis Filipponio. |
Filipponio, Phyllis |
Seventh grade girl age 12 |
Sister of Lucille Filipponio. |
Fina, JoAnn |
Fifth grade girl |
Fina, John |
Fifth grade boy |
Finnegan, Thomas |
Fireman |
Tom worked the OLA fire with Richard Scheidt. |
Finnigan, Michael |
Third grade boy |
Michael's big sister, Nancy, in room 211, did not survive. Brother of Nancy and Patrick Finnigan. |
Finnigan, Nancy Rae |
Eighth grade girl age 14 in room 211 (fatality) |
Sister of Michael and Patrick Finnigan. |
Finnigan, Patrick |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Patrick escaped uninjured, but his sister, Nancy, perished in room 211. Brother of Nancy and Michael Finnigan. |
Fiorita, Anthony |
Fourth grade boy |
Cousin of Patrick McGee. |
Fitzgerald, Rev. Msgr. Joseph |
Senior Pastor at Our Lady of the Angels |
Monsignor Joseph Fitzgerald was one of three senior pastors living in the rectory of Our Lady of the Angels Church at the time of the fire. |
Flemming, Carol |
Student Nurse |
Carol was one of the student nurses at St. Anne's Hospital assigned to help care for injured students. |
Florio, Celeste |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Sister of Dominic Florio, cousin of Cynthia Campagna. |
Florio, Dominic |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Brother of Celeste Florio, cousin of Cynthia Campagna. |
Forbrich, Joseph |
Senior pediatrician St. Anne's Hospital |
Together with Dr. Thomas Moore, Dr. Forbrich led the medical teams at St. Anne's. |
Forchione, Michele |
Seventh grade girl age 11 in room 202 |
Formagus, Marie |
Third grade girl age 8 in room A |
Fox, Paul |
Doctor at St. Anne's Hospital |
Dr. Fox was Michele McBride's surgeon. |
Fox, Ronald |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Francione, Patrick |
Fifth grade boy |
Francioni, Loris |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 207 |
Franco, Alan |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Friedeck, Linda |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 108 |
Sister of Steven Friedeck. |
Friedeck, Steven |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 |
Steven jumped from a window and received only a sprained ankle. Brother of Linda Friedeck. |
Friga, Jonathan |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Jonathan escaped without injury. Later, after adopting the stage name Jonathan Cain, he became a keyboardist and songwriter with the group “Journey”. |
Frost, Mark |
First grade boy age 6 in room 107 |
Mark escaped without injury. |
Fugiel, Judith |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Fugiel, Robert |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Robert managed to escape from room 211 at the last minute. “I will never forget when the first ladders came. They were too short and we were gasping for air and hanging out the windows, the thick black smoke rushing all around us. You could hear screams and crying in the room, and then a ladder that reached my window. I still to this day cannot remember if I was pulled out or slid down or what, but I did make it out.” |
Fuller, Johnnie Ann |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 205 |
Furlan, Emily |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 201 |
- G - |
Gabel, Mary Frances |
Kindergarten girl age 4 in Mary Hall |
Mary was one of the youngest students enrolled at OLA, and was at home with a fever on the day of the fire. |
Gajda, Wendollyn |
Sixth grade girl age 10 |
Gagliardi, Robert |
Fourth grade boy age 10 |
Robert was one of the students assigned to carry wastepaper from his classroom to the basement. He and Chris Stoller were among the last to be in the basement before the fire was discovered. |
Gagliardo, Andrea |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Andrea climbed out on a ledge and was eventually rescued by firemen. Cousin of Linda Barletta. |
Galante, Kathleen |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Sister of MaryAlice Galante, cousin of Ronald, Joann and Billy Sarno. |
Galante, MaryAlice |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 |
MaryAlice was pulled from a window and carried down a ladder by a fireman. Sister of Kathy Galante, cousin of Ronald, Joann and Billy Sarno. |
Gallo, Frank |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 |
Frankie spent the night in the hospital for observation after jumping from a window (see Photo Gallery). Brother of Sam Gallo. |
Gallo, Michael |
Fourth grade boy in room 106 |
Gallo, Mike |
Fifth grade boy |
Gallo, Sam |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Frank Gallo. |
Garrett, Mrs. Mary |
(See Miss Mary Herlihy) |
Gasinski, James |
Fourth grade boy |
Gasteier, Janet |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Gatto, Judith |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 109 |
Gavin, John |
Chicago Tribune Reporter |
John was a north side police reporter who was dispatched to the scene. |
Gazzola, Carol Ann |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Cousin of Patricia Guzzi. |
Gazzola, Danny |
Sixth grade boy age 11 |
Twin brother of Dianne Gazzola, cousin of Carol Ann Gazzola. |
Gazzola, Dianne |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 203 |
Dianne was rescued by Father Ognibene, who carried her out of the school. Twin sister of Danny Gazzola, cousin of Carol Ann Gazzola. |
Geanto, Diana |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Geanto, Micheal |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Gecan, Michael |
Fourth grade boy |
George, Carol |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 204 |
Geraci, Phillip |
Third grade boy |
Phillip escaped his first floor north wing classroom without injury. |
Gerlach, Chuck |
Seventh grade boy age 11 in room 201 |
Chuck later married Catherine Vitacco, a survivor of room 104. |
Ghilarducci, Charlotte |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 206 |
Cousin of Richard and Anthony Sacco. |
Giacomino, Michael |
Seventh grade boy age 13 in room 208 |
Giambalvo, Judy |
Third grade girl age 8 in room A |
Giesel, Pamela Ann |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 203 |
Pamela has "vivid memories of the day of almost dying until a fireman came up the stairs and carried me to the street." |
Giglio, Frank |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 104 |
Brother of Joseph Giglio. |
Giglio, Joseph |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Brother of Frank Giglio. |
Gilbert, Ellen |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 204 |
Gioffredi, Andrea |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 103 |
Gioffredi, Dennis |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Dennis escaped without injury and later married survivor Darlene Pizzolato. Brother of Andrea Gioffredi. |
Giunta, Joe |
Sixth grade boy age 12 in room 203 |
Glanz, Charles William |
Chicago Policeman |
Charlie (October 11, 1931 - May 10, 2000) was a native of Chicago. He became a policeman for the Chicago Park District and went on to become a plainclothes detective for the Chicago Police Force. During his time as a Park District police officer, he was one of the first people on the scene at the Our Lady of the Angels school fire in 1958 and helped a number of children escape. Charlie was a die-hard Cubs fan and one of the highlights of his youth was when, as a young boy, he got to be a substitute bat boy for the visiting team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, at a home Cubs game. He was a paratrooper in the 11th Airborne Division and in the 187th Regimental Combat Team in the Korean War. He left the Chicago Police force shortly after the OLA fire, becoming a hotel manager for a time, and in 1965 went into advertising with the Chicago American Newspaper, retiring in 1995. With wife Barbara, he was father to four children: Garrett, Gavin, Gretchen and Erin. |
Glanz, Edward |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Glasgow, Maria |
Eighth grade girl age 13 |
Maria suffered burns to her arm, shoulder and forehead, but recovered after treatment at St. Anne's Hospital. Cousin of Susan and MaryAnn Smaldone. |
Glasgow, Marie |
Eighth grade girl age 13 |
Glowacki, Barbara |
Proprietor of grocery next door to school |
Barbara placed the second call to the fire department just seconds after Nora Maloney placed the first call at 2:42 pm. She later helped victims in the alley on the north side of the school. Her daughter, Helena, was attending the school but escaped safely. |
Glowacki, Helena |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Daughter of Barbara Glowacki, proprietor of a small grocery store adjacent to the school. |
Gnoffo, Madelyn |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Michael Gnoffo, cousin of Joe Bonadonna and Vivian Guercio. |
Gnoffo, Michael |
Sizth grade boy age 11 |
Brother of Madelyn Gnoffo, cousin of Joe Bonadonna and Vivian Guercio. |
Gorman, William |
Fire Department Chaplain |
Gorski, John |
Third grade boy age 8 |
Gorski, Theresa |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 206 |
Grady, Frank |
Chicago Police Arson Investigator |
Grady was one of four arson investigators present at the fire who began investigating possible causes for the fire even before it was extinguished. |
Gramarossa, Leonard |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Grasso, Lawrence |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Larry made it to a window, but time ran out before he could escape. From classmate Edward Glanz: “Larry and Millicent Corsiglia were next to me at the window with a long ladder, where Fireman Kamin was pulling us out.” Tragically, the classroom flashed over mere seconds before Larry could be rescued. |
Graziano, Joseph A. |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Joe suffered second and third degree burns over 30% of his body, and spent a month in the hospital. He was one of two students named Joseph Graziano who attended OLA at the time of the fire. The other was in room 209. Brother of Richard Graziano. |
Graziano, Joseph T. |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Joseph escaped without injury. “This will be a day I will never forget. We heard somebody scream that the roof was on fire. We couldn't see anything. Kids fell on the floor screaming.” He was one of two students named Joseph Graziano who attended OLA at the time of the fire. The other was in room 209. |
Greco, Marianne |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Grieco, Lucille |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 105 |
Lucille escaped without injury. |
Griffin, Colleen |
Kindergarten girl in Mary Hall |
Sister of Kevin, Terry and Connell Griffin. |
Griffin, Connell |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 103 |
Brother of Kevin, Terry and Colleen Griffin. |
Griffin, Kevin |
Sixth grade boy age 12 in room 205 |
Kevin survived the fire and smoke filled stairway thanks to Andy Salemi's bright white shirt. “I followed it to the stairway and out onto Iowa street. I always wanted to thank him and his mom for that shirt. It saved my life.” Brother of Terry, Connell and Colleen Griffin. |
Griffin, Terry |
Fourth grade boy |
Brother of Kevin, Connell and Colleen Griffin. |
Grimaldi, Daniel |
Parent |
Daniel was returning home from nearby barbershop, when he saw children streaming out of the school. “I ran to the school and went right in through the front door. It seemed all right there, so I ran upstairs. As soon as I got to the second floor, I saw smoke so thick you couldn't move. The boys and girls were screaming for help. I shouted 'Grab my hand.' Some of them grabbed my hand and I led them back down the stairs. ” He soon found that his two children, Frank and Mary Anne, had safely escaped on their own. Father of Frank and Mary Anne Grimaldi. |
Grimaldi, Frank |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 206 |
Frank escaped without injury. Brother of Mary Anne Grimaldi, son of Daniel Grimaldi. |
Grimaldi, Mary Anne |
Girl age 8 |
Sister of Frank Grimaldi, daughter of Daniel Grimaldi. |
Grimaldi, Vito |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Grizzoffi, John |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
John escaped without injury. |
Grosso, James |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 206 |
Jim was sent on an errand to the basement by his teacher when he encountered smoke. He returned to his classroom and reported it to his teacher, who soon evacuated his class safely. |
Grzeskiewicz, Mary Margaret |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 108 |
Sister of Ronald Grzeskiewicz. |
Grzeskiewicz, Ronald |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 204 |
Brother of Mary Margeret Grzeskiewicz. |
Guarini, Michael A. |
Fourth grade boy age 8 in room 108 |
Gudz, Jerome |
Sixth grade boy age 11 |
Brother of Rosemary Gudz. |
Gudz, Rosemary |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Sister of Jerome Gudz. |
Gudzick, Frank |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 |
Guerico, Vivian |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 108 |
Cousin of Joe Bonadonna and Michael and Madelyn Gnoffo. |
Guerino, Katherine |
Fourth grade girl |
Guerrieri, John |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
John was helping with a clothing drive at the church and was not injured. |
Guzaldo, Frances |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 211 (fatality) |
Cousin of Michael Guzaldo and Frank Piscopo. |
Guzaldo, Michael |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Cousin of Frances Guzaldo and Frank Piscopo. |
Guzaldo, Patrick |
Fifth grade boy age 11 |
Pat escaped without injury. He passed away in February 4, 1994. |
Guzzi, Patricia |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Patti's mother and younger brother were visiting her aunt, who lived near the school, when they saw and heard the commotion of the fire. They ran to her classroom in Mary Hall (a separate building on Hamlin Ave) where Patti was waiting with her teacher and classmates for family to arrive and take her home. One of her father's cousins, Carol Ann Gazzola, did not survive the fire. |
Guzzo, Frank |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Frank escaped by jumping from a windoe onto the canopy below. Years later, he married and raised a family with wife Shirley. Twin brother of Rosalie Guzzo. |
Guzzo, Rosalie |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Twin sister of Frank Guzzo. |
- H - |
Hagerty, Kathleen |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Handschiegel, Catherine |
Sixth grade girl age 11 |
Sister of James, Regina, Susan and Thomas Handschiegel. |
Handschiegel, James |
Third grade boy age 8 |
Brother of Catherine, Regina, Susan and Thomas Handschiegel. |
Handschiegel, Regina |
Fifth grade girl age 10 |
Sister of Catherine, James, Susan and Thomas Handschiegel |
Handschiegel, Susan |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Catherine, James, Regina and Thomas Handschiegel |
Handschiegel, Thomas |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Thomas escaped down a ladder without injury along with his friend, Serge Uccetta. |
Hanneman, Carolyn |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Carol suffered minor burns before escaping down a ladder. |
Harders, Ron |
Sixth grade boy |
Hardiman, Msgr. James C. |
Msgr. Hardiman, secretary to Archbishop Meyer, accompanied the prelate to the fire. |
Hardy, Raymond |
Second grade boy |
Brother of Richard and Robert Hardy. |
Hardy, Richard |
Fifth grade boy age 9 in room 212 (fatality) |
Hardy, Robert |
Seventh grade boy |
Brother of Richard and Raymond Hardy. |
Harper, George |
Fireman |
Harper was a member of Hook and Ladder Company 26. |
Hart, Jean |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Harte, Kathryn Agnes |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 203 |
Kathy died of a brain aneurysm in June 1961 at age 13. |
Hartman, Kara |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Marie and Ramona Hartman. |
Hartman, Marie Luella |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Mary was severely burned but survived. Sister of Kara and Ramona Hartman. |
Hartman, Ramona |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 101 |
Sister of Marie and Kara Hartman. |
Hasking, Michael |
Second grade boy age 8 |
Brother of Barbara Hosking. |
Hayes, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Patrick J. |
Pastor of Holy Name Cathedral |
Fr. Hayes was at the scene. |
Hedderman, Joseph |
Chief Fire Alarm Operator |
Hagerty, Richard |
Sixth grade boy |
Brother of Kathleen and William Hagerty. |
Hagerty, William |
Third grade boy |
Brother of Kathleen and Richard Hagerty. |
Hennessey, Thomas |
Fireman |
Member of Rescue Squad 1. |
Herlihy, Miss Mary (later Mrs. Garrett) |
Second grade teacher in room 102 |
She later married and became Mrs. Garrett |
Hester, Roger |
Fireman |
Lt. Hester was in command of Hook and Ladder Company 26. |
Hewlett, Leroy |
Neighbor |
Leroy, who lived at 854 N. Avers, diagonally across from the school, heard children screaming and ran to the street just as the first fire department units arrived. “Kids were hanging from windows, jumping or falling in groups of three or four at a time. Smoke and flames poured from windows. A little girl stood at the window of a ledge on the second floor screaming for help.” |
Hill, Hugh |
CBS reporter |
Hill covered the tragedy for CBS news. “I was in the newsroom at WBBM radio and looked at the ticker and it said a 2-11 at a school on the west side. When we got there, we realized that this was an enormous, enormous fire. You could tell it was because firemen were bringing bodies out. At the time, I had five children and they were all young. And these little bodies of school students were brought out and they were covered by a blanket, except for their shoes. You'd see their bodies come out and the shoes. And it made me think of my own children. So we then went from a school fire to the morgue where the bodies were laid out and the next three days, funerals. It was a horrendous scene. So sad. People crying. Reporters, hard-nosed reporters, crying. Believe me, we were crying. It was the worst thing I have ever seen.” |
Hobik, Karen |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Sister of Wayne and Mary Ellen. |
Hobik, Mary Ellen |
Fourth grade girl in room 106 |
Sister of Wayne and Karen Hobik. |
Hobik, Wayne |
Sixth grade boy |
Brother of Karen and Mary Ellen Hobik. |
Hoblit, Laura |
Sixth grade girl |
Cousin of Beverly, Dale and Frank Burda and of Dennis and David DeBoer. |
Hogan, John J. |
Attorney |
Hogan was the attorney who advised janitor James Raymond during his questioning before the Coroner's Inquest. |
Holden, Henry |
Fireman |
Holden was a member of Engine Company 85, the first Company to arrive at the fire. He worked with other members of his company attempting to rescue children from room 212. |
Hosking, Barbara |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Hosking, Michael |
Second grade boy age 8 |
Michael escaped without injury. Brother of Barbara Hosking. |
Howard, James Jr. |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
In addition to severe burns, James suffered a head injury while jumping from a window in his second floor classroom. He spent several months recovering at St. Anne's Hospital, including nearly a month in a coma. |
Hudson, Andrew |
Sixth grade boy age 11 |
Brother of Marne Hudson. |
Hudson, Marne |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 |
Marne fell or was pushed from a window and was hospitalized with multiple broken bones, a lacerated tongue, and gravel embedded in the skin of her face. She was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve. Marne passed away in October 2012. Sister of Andrew Hudson. |
Hund, Rev. Charles |
Associate pastor living in the rectory at the time of the fire |
Father Hund, together with janitor James Raymond, rescued the children and teacher from room 207 by unlocking the back classroom door, allowing students and teacher to flee down the school's only fire escape. |
- I - |
Igini, John P. |
Doctor |
John was the former chief of surgery at St. Anne's Hospital, and was serving on staff there the day of the OLA fire, when dozens of victims were brought to St. Anne's. |
Imburgia, Salvatore |
Fireman |
Imburgia was a member of Hook and Ladder Company 36. |
- J - |
Jacobellis, Kathleen |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Sister of the Victor Jacobellis in room 206, who survived. |
Jacobellis, Victor |
Fifth grade boy in room 206 |
Victor escaped without injury. He was one of two boys named Victor Jacobellis enrolled at OLA on December 1, 1958. Brother of Kathy Jacobellis. |
Jacobellis, Victor |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Victor died December 5, 1958 from a head injury suffered while jumping from a window, not from burns. |
Jajkowski, John Jr. |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
John was a 10-year-old fifth grader in Mary Clare Therese Champaigne's class in room 212. Fire did not invade his classroom to the extent it did the other second floor north wing classrooms. Nevertheless, like the other students who died in room 212, John died from asphyxiation. Newspaper photographer Steve Lasker snapped a picture of fireman Richard Scheidt carrying John's body out the northwest door of the school. The photo was subsequently published in newspapers around the world and came to symbolize the tragedy at Our Lady of the Angels. |
Jalowiecki, Ronald |
First grade boy age 6 on first floor north wing |
Jalowietki, Mary |
Parent |
Jalowietki attempted unsuccessfully to enter the school to search for her son, but the heavy smoke made it impossible. Mother of Ronald Jalowietki. |
James, Robert |
Fireman |
Robert was treated and released at Garfield Park Hospital for minor injuries suffered while fighting the OLA fire. |
Jameson, Matthew |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Cousin of Rick Cozzola. |
Jamrock, Michael |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 203 |
Michael sat in the back of the room next the door and was one of the first to smell smoke. He yelled "someone is burning eggs", and the teacher then discovered the fire and led the class to safety. |
Janik, Casey |
Milkman |
A passing milkman saw smoke coming from the school, ran inside and dragged a number of pupils to safety, including one girl frozen in terror on a stairwell who was blocking the escape of others. From Casey's neice: "Every time I saw him from that day on, I would have tears in my eyes due to the admiration I had for him. I would recount his heroism to everyone as I introduced him. Unfortunately, this wonderful, brave man passed away fairly recently, and Chicago, indeed perhaps mankind, has lost a real hero. I will never forget him." |
Jerard, Arthur |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 |
Arthur escaped down a ladder with minor burn injuries that did not require hospitalization. Today [2015] he is retired and living in Arizona. Brother of Paula Jerard. |
Jerard, Paula |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Arthur Jerard. |
Johnita, Sister Mary |
Fifth grade teacher in room 105 |
Johnston, Robert |
First grade boy age 6 in room 107 |
Brother of Valerie Johnston. |
Johnston, Valerie |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 103 |
Sister of Robert Johnston. |
Joyce, John |
Fourth grade boy |
- K - |
Kafka, Josephine |
Seventh grade girl age 13 |
Kaiser, Gerold |
Seventh grade boy in room 201 |
Kalanges, James |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
James was one of the first to jump from a window in his classroom, but suffered a broken hip, leg and arm in doing so. |
Kaletta, Kenneth |
Eighth grade boy in room 211 |
Ken escaped by jumping from a window. Twin brother of Stanley Kaletta, uncle of Mary Dowling. |
Kaletta, Stanley |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Twin brother of Ken Kaletta, uncle of Mary Dowling. |
Kalinowski, Angeline |
Eighth grade girl age 14 in room 211 (fatality) |
Kameczura, Paul |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 204 |
Brother of Robert Kameczura. |
Kameczura, Robert |
Fourth grade boy age 8 in room 108 |
Brother of Paul Kameczura. |
Kamin, Charles M., Sr. |
Fireman |
When Charles Kamin, leading Hook and Ladder Company 35, arrived at the school, he and his crew saw the desperate situation in the courtyard between the north and south wings of the school. Children in rooms 209 and 211 were hanging out the windows, yelling and screaming, some jumping. He and his crew placed a ladder at the front window of room 211, which Kamin quickly scaled and began rescuing children. He repeatedly reached in and grabbed students, primarily boys because he could grab them by their belt, lifted them out and dropped them on the ladder below him. The situation in the room deteriorated fast, though. After rescuing 8 to 10 children, the air inside the room reached ignition temperature and the entire room erupted in flames, forcing Kamin back from the window. In horror, he watched as the remaining children disappeared in the conflagration. Later that evening, he was treated and released from Garfield Park Hospital for minor injuries. Kamin and his crew were credited with saving 63 of the 160 children and nuns saved by the fire department at the OLA fire. After retiring from the fire department as a lieutenant in 1977, he and his wife moved to Dolores, Colorado. On November 15, 1992, at age 72, Charles Kamin was killed in an automobile accident in Colorado on November 15, 1992. |
Karbowski, Krystyna |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Karkoszka, Christina |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 203 |
Chris escaped without injury, met her brothers in the church and went home. Sister of Henry and Joseph Karkoszka. |
Karkoszka, Henry |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Brother of Christina and Joseph Karkoszka. |
Karkoszka, Joseph |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Brother of Christina and Henry Karkoszka. |
Karlo, Gerald |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 206 |
Karwacki, Diane |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
On December 9th, Diane's maternal grandfather, Thomas Paprocki, died from injuries sustained in a car accident while he and his wife Katherine (who survived) were attending Diane's funeral.] |
Katzmarek, Ann |
Third grade girl age 8 in room A |
Sister of Linda Katzmarek |
Katzmarek, Linda |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Sister of Ann Katzmarek |
Kearney, Richard |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Kearney, Tom |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 109 |
Kehoe, James |
Fire Department arson investigator |
Lieutenant Kehoe was one of the investigators assigned to investigate the OLA fire. |
Kelley, Sister Mary Seraphica |
Fourth grade teacher in room 210, age 43 (fatality) |
Sister Seraphica was born Anne Virginia Kelley in Chicago on November 12, 1915 and entered the BVM Community on September 8, 1933. Her first teaching assignment was to Annunciation School in Chicago, where she served until 1956, at which time she was assigned to Our Lady of the Angels. |
Kellner, James |
Fourth grade boy |
James passed away on August 26, 2022. Brother of Wayne Kellner, cousin of Cheryl McLean. |
Kellner, Wayne |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 206 |
Brother of James Kellner, cousin of Cheryl McLean. |
Kelly, Leroy |
Fireman |
Kelly was a member of Truck 36, which responded to the second (box) alarm, and was the second truck company to arrive at the fire. His company laddered the north side of the building and helped rescue students from those north side classrooms. Leroy passed away at age 81 on August 22, 2010. |
Kern, Cynthia |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Kern, Tom |
Boy age 12 |
King, Carol |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Sister of Joseph, William and Mary King. |
King, Joseph Anthony |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Brother of Mary and William King |
King, Mary |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Sister of Joseph and William King |
King, William |
Boy age 10 |
William was absent due to illness on the day of the fire. Brother of Joseph and Mary King |
Kinsella, James |
Second grade boy |
James escaped without injury. Brother of Thomas Kinsella. |
Kinsella, Thomas |
Eighth grade boy age 14 in room 211 |
Thomas was hospitalized as a result of the fire. Brother of James Kinsella. |
Kizior, Mrs. Lorraine |
Third/Fourth grade teacher in room 108 (she took over this class from Sister Mary Rufina for part of the school year while Sister Rufina recovered from an extended illness |
Klaus, Sister Mary Almunda |
St. Anne's Hospital administrator |
Klein, Karen |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 203 |
Kleinaitis, Joyce |
Fourth grade girl |
Klock, Ed |
Elderly neighbor |
74-year-old Klock, who lived near the school and was ill with a heart condition, suffered a stroke and was hospitalized after attempting to catch children plunging down from rooms 208, 210 and 212. |
Klock, Ella |
Elderly neighbor |
Mrs. Klock, wife of Ed who attempted to catch jumping children, ran back home after seeing children being injured while jumping and called the fire department, saying “send all the ambulances in the city!” |
Kobus, John |
Second grade boy |
John became an Archdiocean Priest. From Irene Becker: "John is now a wonderful Spiritual Director at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center. He has always been 'down to earth', loving, caring and wanting to help everyone. I never realized he was a survivor of Our Lady of the Angels, but I'm glad God spared him so that we may benefit from knowing him. He has helped me personally on many occasions. Thank you John and God love you." John passed away on September 17, 2011. |
Kobus, Milton |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Kompanowski, Kenneth |
Eighth grade boy age 14 in room 211 (fatality) |
Kenneth's brother Richard was also killed at Our Lady of the Angels. The Kompanowski brothers were one of two pairs of siblings killed. |
Kompanowski, Richard |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 (fatality) |
Richard's brother Kenneth was also killed at Our Lady of the Angels. The Kompanowski brothers were one of two pairs of siblings killed. |
Komperda, John |
Fourth grade boy |
Koncel, Elizabeth |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Elizabeth was burned on her arm and back when she opened one of the room 208 doors to see if the class could get out via the main hallway - they of course could not. She spent three weeks in the hospital recovering from her injuries. Sister of Florence Koncel. |
Koncel, Florence |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Sister of Elizabeth Koncel. |
Konley, Mary |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Konley, Sally |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Kopis, Deborah |
Preschooler |
“On that day, I was playing on our back porch which faced the alleyway and to the left about a half block was the school. I remember seeing smoke and telling that to my Mom. In a panic, she rushed with me down to the school to find my brother. I don't recall how long it took but it seemed like forever. People were screaming and crying...my mom was crying, I was crying and we couldn't find my brother. It was chaos. As it turned out, kids that left school went to area homes to keep warm and we eventually found my brother. Our neighbor and family friends were not as fortunate and lost their son Mark Stachura in the fire. Even though I was very young, that day is etched in my memory.” Sister of Theodore Kopis. |
Kopis, Theodore |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Deborah Kopis. |
Kostelny, Carol |
Nurse |
Kostelny cared for two injured students at St. Anne's hospital, LeeRoy Diciglio and Louise Loveless, fourth graders from room 210. |
Kotalik, Robert |
Photographer |
Kotalik, a photographer with the Chicago Sun-Times, took many of the photos at the fire that appeared in the newspaper. Later, he became the Sun-Times' chief photographer, retiring in 1990. Robert passed away on May 29, 2013. |
Kotrba, Darlene |
Bethel Lutheran School Fifth Grader |
After being dismissed from her fifth grade class at Bethel Lutheran School, located a mile and a half from OLA, Darlene heard sirens and saw smoke. She and a classmate decided to follow the fire trucks to the fire, and watched as the horror unfolded. |
Kowalczyk, James |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
One of several children rescued from room 211 by fireman Charles Kamin. His strongest memory after the fire was how difficult it was to breath due to the heavy smoke. He was hospitalized with serious burns. |
Koziol, Carol |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Fortunately, Carol was absent from school the day of the fire. |
Krajecke, Albert |
Policeman |
Father of Pamela Krajecke. |
Krajecke, Pamela |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Daughter of policeman Albert Krajecke. |
Krajewski, Connie |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 105 |
Sister of James Krajewski. |
Krajewski, James |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
James was hospitalized until February 25, 1959, after breaking his back and both ankles while jumping from a window in room 208. “It got real hot. I don't remember deciding to jump,” Jimmy recalled as he lay in his hospital bed. Brother of Connie Krajewski. |
Krause, Geraldine |
Eighth grade girl age 15 in room 211 |
Kropp, Michele |
Seventh grade girl in room 208 |
Michele was helping with a birthday party in room 107 when the fire alarm rang, and she helped the first graders exit the building safely. |
Krulick, William J. |
Physician |
Krulick was the Chief of Staff at Franklin Boulevard Hospital, and helped coordinate treatment of injured children. |
Kucan, Margaret |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Kuzma, Patricia |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
- L - |
LaBati, Lorraine |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Sister of Nora LaBati, cousin of Michael Mason. |
LaBati, Nora |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Sister of Lorraine LaBati, cousin of Michael Mason. |
LaBrant, Cynthia |
First grade girl age 6 in room 107 |
LaMantia, Annette |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Landers, Matthew |
Chicago policeman |
Landers was one of the first policemen to arrive at the scene, arriving before the fire department. |
Lanse, Jackie |
Nurse at St. Anne's Hospital |
Jackie helped care for the children who arrived at St. Anne's Hospital. |
LaPlaca, Rose Ann |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Rose Ann was identified only through dental records. |
Larimer, Keith |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 108 |
Brother of Paul Larimer. |
Larimer, Paul |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Brother of Keith Larimer. |
Larkin, Mary |
Girl |
LaRocco, Bonnie |
First grade girl age 6 in south wing |
LaRocco, Casey |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Lasker, Steve |
Chicago American Newspaper Photographer |
Steve Lasker snapped a picture of fireman Richard Scheidt carrying 10-year-old victim John Jajkowski from the school. The picture was widely circulated and became something of a symbol of the heartbreaking tragedy at Our Lady of the Angels. |
LaSordo, Dina |
Girl |
LaSusa, Marianne |
Fourth grade girl in room 106 |
Lattanzio, Mary |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 202 |
Lawler, Rt. Rev. Msgr. James M. |
Archdiocesan director of Propagation of the Faith |
Fr. Lawler was at the scene. |
Lawlor, Felicia |
Junior Nursing Student |
Felicia was a junior nursing student at St. Anne's hospital who helped care for severly burned children. The most difficult memories she has is of “the physical suffering of the children and the emotional suffering of the families. There were parents and priests all over the place, going in and out of rooms, looking for children. It was shocking to hear a parents saying: `I think this is my child, but I'm not sure.'” |
Leahy, James |
Fourth grade boy age 8 in room 210 |
Lego, Andrew |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Andrew escaped from room 208 with only minor injuries by dropping from the window ledge to the roof covering the entrance to the basement chapel and then to the ground. |
Lemak, Nancyann |
First grade girl age 6 |
Leonard, Kenneth |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 |
Kenneth sustained burns to his legs before being rescued from his burning classroom by an unknown fireman. He was treated and released from Franklin Boulevard Hospital. Kenneth recently retired as Chief from Oak Lawn, Illinois Fire Department. Brother of Michael and Robert Leonard. |
Leonard, Michael |
Fifth grade boy in room 206 |
Brother of Robert and Kenneth Leonard. |
Leonard, Robert |
Boy |
Brother of Michael and Kenneth Leonard. |
Leskowki, Diane |
Girl |
Letizia, Albert S. |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 203 |
Albert escaped without injury. |
Lewandowski, Gregory |
First grade by age 6 in room 107 |
Brother of Nancy Lewandowski. |
Lewandowski, Nancy |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 109 |
Sister of Gregory Lewandowski. |
Limbach, Sharon |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Lock, Gail |
Fourth grade girl |
Loconti, Donald |
Third grade boy |
Loconti, Michael |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 106 |
Loconti, Ronald |
First grade boy |
Lombardo, Anthony |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Brother of Teressa Lombardo. |
Lombardo, Frank |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Frank escaped without injury. |
Lombardo, Teressa |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Teressa's classroom was on the first floor, probably room 106 or 108. Sisster of Anthony Lombardo. |
Longo, Rocco |
Third grade boy age 10 in room A |
LoPresto, Martin |
Boy age 6 |
Losurdo, Dina |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Loucks, Susan |
Fourth grade girl |
Loveless, Louise |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Louise was severely burned but survived. |
Lozano, Carlos |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Carlos was admitted to St. Anne's Hospital with a leg injury sustained when jumping from a window of his second floor classroom. |
Luberda, James |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Jim escaped by hanging and dropping from the second floor window ledge above the covered stairwell leading to the basement chapel. |
Lubke, Fred |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 |
Fred suffered burns and remained hospitalized for three weeks after the fire. Brother of John Lubke. |
Lubke, John |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
John suffered a back injury jumping from a window of room 211. He was hospitalized for five days following the fire. Brother of Fred Lubke. |
Lucchesi, Karen |
First grade girl age 6 in room 107 |
Lusurdo, Dina |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Dina jumped into a firemen's net and was crushed as other students landed on top of her. She was also burned on her legs. |
Lynch, Msgr. Lawrence W. |
Archdiocesan director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine |
Fr. Lynch was at the scene. |
Lyng, Sister Mary St. Canice |
Seventh grade teacher in room 208, age 44 (fatality) |
Sister St. Canice was born Mary Lyng in Chicago on October 11, 1914 and entered the BVM Community on September 8, 1932. Her first teaching assignment was Our Lady of the Angels. Later, she taught at St. Charles School in North Hollywood, California. Later, she became Sister Superior at St. Mary's School in DeKalb, Illinois. After that, she returned to a teaching assignment at her first school, Our Lady of the Angels. |
- M - |
Macaluso, Sam |
Boy age 14 at Cameron School |
Sam attended Cameron Elementary, but attended Our Lady of the Angels for religious instruction and received his First Holy Communion there. He was running an errand for his mom when he heard that the OLA school was on fire. “I was sent to the grocery store at Hamlin and Division, as I recall, for a loaf of bread. After leaving the store, a kid around my age yelled to me that Our Lady of the Angels School was on fire. Bread in hand, I ran to the school and saw smoke in back where I couldn't get to. It didn't look big at the time and nobody was even there, so as a kid, I didn't think much of it and thought that it would be taken care of. Besides, as I recall, I couldn't get any closer or I would have. “I returned home to drop off the bread and then went back to see what happened. I don't remember if that was a few minutes or an hour later, but when I returned I was really shocked to see it was a big fire with children dying. “It was something I'll never forget. I don't think anyone could. I think what effected me the most was the sounds of mothers screaming for their child and the sight of sheet-covered bodies being carried out by firemen. I had nightmares for a few months after that. “Looking at the faces of the ones that died hurts my heart -- some I knew and some just remember seeing in our area. The stories started flowing after that, some good and some bad. “I feel for all the parents, relatives, and friends who were affected, and for the firemen who have to carry the burden of what they see and face the dangers that they do.” |
Machaj, Patrick |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Patrick was one of the boys who carried waste papers from his classroom to the basement not long before the fire broke out. He dumped his waste paper in a container in the boiler room, but saw nothing out of the ordinary while completing this routine chore. |
Maffiola, Joseph |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Joseph was ostensibly the first fatality removed from the school. Joey was removed by firemen from room 212 down a ladder and rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. |
Maggerise, Edward |
Eighth grade boy in room 209 |
Edward was the first student to jump from the rear window of room 209 to the small canopy below in the courtyard. Other students soon followed, and still others were helped out that window by Father Ognibene and Sam Tortorice. |
Maita, Phillip |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Phillip escaped without injury. |
Makowski, Joseph |
First grade boy |
Brother of Raymond Makowski. |
Makowski, Raymond |
Eighth grade boy age 12 in room 211 (fatality) |
Malinski, Jerry |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in south wing |
Brother of Linda Malinski. |
Malinski, Linda |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Sister of Jerry Malinski. |
Maloney, Nora |
Rectory housekeeper/cook who placed the first call to the fire department |
Nora worked in the rectory so when janitor James Raymond ran in and yelled for her to call the fire department, she reported the Iowa Street address of the rectory when she called. Thus, when the fire department arrived they parked on Iowa Street and began setting up around the corner from the true fire location in the north wing of the school. When firemen discovered this, they had to reposition their trucks and equipment, costing valuable minutes. |
Mancini, John |
Boy age 9 |
Mancini, Michalene |
Sixth grade girl in room 203 |
Manganello, Elizabeth |
First grade girl in Joseph Hall |
Sister of John Manganello. |
Manganello, John |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Brother of Elizabeth Manganello. |
Marcello, James |
Boy |
Cousin of Carl and Joann Olandese. |
Marcheschi, Diane |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Diane broke her arm when she fell trying to reach a too-short ladder. She was treated at Walther Memorial Hospital. Sister of Donald Marcheschi. |
Marcheschi, Donald |
Third grade boy age 8 |
Brother of Diane Marcheschi |
Margherone, Tom |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Margo, Dominique and Ann |
Nearby Residents |
Dominique and Ann assisted numerous hurt and terrified children who managed to escape the school. |
Margotte, Glory |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 103 |
Sister of Rosemary Margotte. |
Margotte, Rosemary |
First grade girl age 6 in room 110 |
Sister of Glory Margotte. |
Marie, Sister Mary Ann |
First grade teacher in Joseph Hall |
Marino, Betti |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 104 |
Cousin of Joseph Petruzzi. |
Marraccini, Linda |
Eighth grade girl in room 209 |
Sister of Richard Marraccini. |
Marraccini, Richard |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Brother of Linda Marraccini. |
Marszalek, Ronald |
First grade boy age 6 in room 110 |
Martens, Willard (Jess) |
Fireman |
Martens was a member of Hook and Ladder Company 35. He worked the life nets with fireman Romanczak until the rate of falling bodies overwhelmed their net, at which point they discarded the net and simply tried to catch or break the fall of as many children as possible. |
Martinelli, Don |
Third grade boy |
Marzullo, Margie |
Seventh grade girl in room 208 |
Margie escaped without injury. She was helping with a birthday party in room 107 when the fire alarm rang, and helped the first graders exit the building safely. |
Mazzone, Pauline |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 |
Mash, Gordon |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 206 |
Mason, Michael |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Michael was six years old and in the first grade in Joseph Hall, away from the main building. Joseph Hall was not involved in the fire, but he was witness to the chaos and terror of that day. Today [2006], Michael is a firefighter in Downers Grove, IL, and also a jazz musician who has created a memorial CD entitled “Angels of Fire”. The CD was “created in the hopes to help heal the grief as well as provide a continual remembrance for all children in the past, present and future who may be affected from flames. It is also a tribute to firefighters who have and will always risk their lives to suppress fire's merciless destruction in their efforts to save lives.&rdqo; |
Mastell, Gloria Jean |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Gloria escaped through the rear window of the classroom and into the annex, with the help of parent Sam Tortorice. |
Matesi, Doreen |
Eighth grade girl age 13 |
Mayenschein, Patrice Durkin |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 104 |
Mazzoni, Pauline |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 |
Pauline was admitted to St. Anne's Hospital. |
McBride, Michele |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Michele was burned over 60% of her body and hospitalized for four and a half months. She underwent numerous operations which continued for years afterwards. The fire that ravaged her body left her in continuous, lifelong pain. In 1979 Michele wrote a book, “The Fire That Will Not Die,” detailing her experiences the day of the fire, and her life thereafter. Her pain finally ended on July 4, 2001 when she died of multiple organ failure, no doubt a result of damage inflicted by fire so many years before. |
McCarron, Walter E. |
Cook County Coroner |
McCarron conducted a Coroner's Inquest to determine the cause of death (cause of the fire) of the victims. The panel was unable to reach a conclusion. |
McCone, Jack |
Fireman |
McCone was a member of Squad 6. Working in the courtyard of the school, he attempted to catch children jumping from the windows of rooms 209 and 211, the two eighth grade classrooms. As eighth graders, these were generally the largest children in the school, and McCone suffered a double hernia from his attempts to catch them. |
McCormic, William |
Fourth grade boy |
McDonald, Joann |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Joann sustained a broken ankle jumping from her classroom window. |
McDonnell, Rev. Msgr. Joseph |
One of four associate pastors living in the rectory at the time of the fire |
McGee, Patrick J. |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
McLean, Cheryl |
Girl |
Cousin of Wayne and Jim Kellner. |
McManus, Rev. Msgr. William |
Superintendant of Catholic Schools in the Chicago Archdiocese |
McManus was appointed Superintendant in 1957 by then Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Samuel Stritch. |
McPolin, Patrick |
Police Chaplain |
McPolin was a chaplain with the Chicago Police Department at the time of the fire. He recalls that residue at the fire scene left his hands oily and stained the paper on which he kept notes. In the aftermath, he helped families with the horrific job of trying to identify the remains of their children. |
McTigue |
Policeman |
McTigue (first name unknown) reportedly gave Alfred Andreoli, father of three children in the school, a ride from near his clothing store on Chicago avenue to the school. |
Means, Anita |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 207 |
Sister of Jerry Means. |
Means, Jerry |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Brother of Anita Means. |
Meisinger, Judy |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room B |
Meisinger, Kathy |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 202 |
Meissinger, Kathy |
Girl in south wing |
Mele, Carmen |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 207 |
Brother of John and Mary Louise Mele. |
Mele, John Joseph |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality). Brother of Mary Louise and Carmen Mele. |
Mele, Mary Louise |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Mary Louise passed away in 2005. Sister of John and Carmen Mele. |
Meneghetti, Ralph |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Meyer, Rev. Albert George |
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago |
At the time of his appointment as Archbishop of Chicago in September 1958, Rev. Meyer, former Archbishop of Milwaukee, was the youngest archbishop in the U.S. |
Miceli, Dorothy |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 103 |
Dorothy walked to school with Joanne Sarno, who only hours later perished in room 210. |
Michaelski, Mike |
Fourth grade boy |
Michals, Michelene |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 101 |
Michielutti, Steve |
Fourth grade boy |
Miehle, Louis "Bud" |
Fireman |
"Bud wasn't one to show his emotions, but when he came home and told me about that fire, he just broke down and cried," his wife said. "He and the other firemen felt helpless, watching children scramble for their lives and jumping out of windows. He said he left a part of his heart there that day." Bud passed away on May 27, 2003. |
Mika, Judy |
Third grade girl age 8 |
Milazzo, George |
Fifth grade boy |
Miller, Barbara |
Junior Nursing Student |
Barbara was a 20-year-old junior nursing student at St. Anne's hospital. She was one of the many student nurses assigned to help senior medical staff care for injured children. |
Miller, Diane |
First grade girl age 7 |
Miller, Janice |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Miller, Jerry |
Fireman |
Jerry was a member of Engine Company 95, the first company, along with Truck Company 26, on the west side of the school. |
Minerva, Elaine Ann |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Peter Minerva. |
Minerva, Peter |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Elaine Ann Minerva. |
Minnick, James E. |
Fireman |
Minnick was a Chicago Fire Department Engineer with Engine Company 77, who fought the OLA fire. He passed away on October 24, 1994. |
Minutillo, Carmen Daniel |
Third grade boy age 8 |
Cousin of Frank Piscopo and Francis Guzaldo. |
Modica, Joseph |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
An unlikely rumor arose after the fire that Joey had escaped unharmed but ran back into the burning school in search of his younger sister, and was overcome by smoke. In any event, his sister managed to escape without injury. Joey had almost finished making a Christmas present for his family using letters cut from a cereal box and glued onto a backing. It read: “I, Joseph, promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my country, to be square and to” ... It was the Cub Scout Promise, and he never finished it. Brother of MaryAnne Modica, cousin of Jeanie Catalano. |
Modica, MaryAnne |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Sister of Joseph Modica, cousin of Jeanie Catalano. |
Mohr, Harry |
Fireman |
Mohr was a CFD Deputy Marshall, and one of the first to enter the second floor classrooms via the windows on the north side. |
Mola, Frank |
Fifth grade boy in room 212 |
Molitor, John |
Eighth grade boy in room 209 |
Monroe, Clarence |
Plastic Surgeon |
Dr. Monroe performed numerous skin grafts on fire victims. |
Montano, Cornel |
Boy age 8 |
Brother of Patricia Montano. |
Montano, Patricia |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Patricia was hospitalized for two months recovering from burn injuries. Today (2008) she lives in a Chicago suburb with her husband. They have two children and several grandchildren. Sister of Cornel Montano. |
Montedore, John |
Seventh grade boy age 13 in room 201 |
John was interviewed on television the evening of the fire about his experiences that afternoon. |
Moore, Thomas |
Fireman |
Moore was a member of Engine Company 85, the first Company to arrive at the fire. |
Moore, Thomas |
Senior Internist St. Anne's Hospital |
Together with Dr. Joseph Forbrich, Dr. Moore led the medical teams at St. Anne's. |
Mootz, Michaelene |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Michaelene escaped with minor injuries by hanging from a window ledge of room 208, and dropping to a ladder which then collapsed. |
Moravec, James |
Seventh grade boy age 13 in room 208 (fatality) |
Moravec, Linda |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Sister of James Moravec. |
Mordarski, Irene |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Irene survived by jumping (falling) from a window, but suffered burns to her arms, face and left leg. She also sustained a fractured left hip in the fall. She was hospitalized longer than any other survivor of the fire. She was discharged in June 1959 but had to undergo repeated operations for years afterwards, including several complete hip replacements. On August 19, 1967, Irene married Gerry Andreoli, a survivor of room 209. Sister of Monica Mordarski. |
Mordarski, Monica |
Girl age 7 |
Sister of Irene Mordarski. |
Mordini, Luciana |
Seventh grade girl age 11 in room 208 |
Luciana fell or was pushed from a window of room 208, and was later taken to the hospital by a good samaritan. She suffered burns to her right arm and back, and was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve. |
Moretti, Mary Ellen |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Mary's short life was difficult. Her father, Michael, was convicted of a double homicide in 1951 in a vacant parking lot during a tavern brawl, and was sentenced to life in prison in 1952. Three of her uncles were convicted of bribery in connection with the murders. |
Morrissey, Rebecca |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room B |
Rebecca escaped from her south basement classroom without injury. |
Mueller, William |
Fireman |
Mugnani, Joseph |
Fourth grade boy |
Muilli, Vito |
Fourth grade boy age 13 in room 210 |
Vito, recently arrived from Italy and speaking little English, was moved down to fourth grade while he mastered English. On the day of the fire, he was able to escape from the west window of room 210, landing on a too-short ladder placed below the window. He slid down the ladder and crashed into the ground, injuring his leg (see Photo Gallery). |
Mujica, Alice |
Second grade girl on the first floor |
Sister of Josephine and Robert Mujica. |
Mujica, Josephine |
Sixth grade girl |
Sister of Alice and Robert Mujica. |
Mujica, Robert |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 106 |
Brother of Alice Mujica. |
Mulcahy, Jack |
Chicago Tribune Photographer |
Jack was the first Tribune photographer to arrive on scene. |
Murphy, Jewel |
Fireman |
Jewel was a member of truck 36 (according to the best recollection of his nephew, William Murphy, son of Thomas Murphy). Jewel is now deceased. Brother of Thomas Murphy. |
Murphy, Thomas J. |
Fireman |
Thomas was a member of truck 46 which responded to the OLA fire. This fire profoundly saddened Thomas and left him with unshakable and horrible life-long memories. He was later promoted to Lieutenant Inspector as a direct result of this tragedy. Later, he also served on Engine 67 (from same firehouse as Truck 46 at Fulton and Kilpatrick, now closed). Thomas is now deceased. Brother of Jewel Murphy. |
Murray, Joe |
Fireman |
“There was a lot of chaos and they [the students] were just fighting to get out the windows. Then it flashed over and everybody was gone.” Joe passed away on March 24, 2016. |
Muscarella, Fred |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Muscarello, Tony |
Fireman |
Today, Tony is retired from the fire department and is a videographer. He video taped the 45th Anniversary Mass on December 1, 2003, and the first Friends of OLA Dinner/Dance on January 10, 2004. |
Muscolino, Donald |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Cousin of David, Linda and Lana Esposito. |
Myszokowski, Stanley |
Fireman |
- N - |
Nardi, Dominic |
Fifth grade boy |
Neagle, Carol |
Eighth grade girl in room 211 |
Carol was snatched from a window in room 211 by a fireman just seconds before the room exploded in flames. Sister of Mike Neagle, cousin of Jim Neagle. |
Neagle, James |
Fifth grade boy in room 105 |
Cousin of Carol and Mike Neagle. |
Neagle, Michael |
Seventh grade boy in room 208 |
Mike escaped by dropping from a window to a small stairway roof below. Brother of Carol Neagle, cousin of Jim Neagle. |
Nedza, James |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 109 |
Neri, Michael |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 207 |
Neuber, Charles |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Neubert, Arthur |
Fifth grade boy in room 105 |
Brother of Charles, Michael and Samuel Neubert. |
Neubert, Michael |
First grade boy |
Brother of Charles, Arthur and Samuel Neubert. |
Neubert, Samuel |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Charles, Michael and Arthur Neubert. |
Neville, James |
Fireman |
Neville was a member of Engine Company 43. According to his son, “he loved his job--he was fearless.” The department used to hold thrill shows that showcased firefighting skills, including a leap by Neville into a net from a five-story structure. His son also said that after the OLA fire, “he felt that the nuns and the school weren't adequately prepared with knowledge of how to get out of a burning building. It caused him to become an ardent crusader for more effective school fire safety.” He lectured at schools about effective fire safety and drills, and to fire departments across the nation about training. Later, after five years of college chemistry and engineering classes, he instituted training procedures for chemical and high-rise fires. He pushed for higher levels of education for firefighters. He was commander of the bomb and arson squad when the team got its first call - a bomb on the 30th floor of the civic center. Neville retired in 1974 as a first deputy chief fire marshal. He passed away at age 89 on July 29, 2001. |
Nieri, Lorraine |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Nuccio, Mary Jane |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 105 |
Mary Jane escaped without injury. |
Nyznyk, Michael (Nicholas) |
Fifth grade boy age 12 |
Michael's real name was Nicholas, but when his family imigrated from Ukraine, his parent's didn't know the correct spelling in English, so he adopted the name Michael. Nicholas passed away on February 7, 1992. |
- O - |
O'Boyle, Edward |
Fourth grade boy |
O'Brien, Colleen |
Kindergarten girl in Mary Hall |
Sister of William and Maureen O'Brien. |
O'Brien, Maureen |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
O'Brien, Patricia |
Fourth grade girl |
O'Brien, Robert |
Fireman |
O'Brien was First Deputy Chief in charge of the Fire Prevention Bureau of the Chicago Fire Department. He was killed in the line of duty in 1962 when he and another chief entered a burning building to ensure that all firefighters were safely out, and the roof suddenly collapsed before they could escape. |
O'Brien, William |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
William escaped by jumping from a window to a small porch cover below. |
O'Connor, George |
Eighth grade boy age 15 in room 209 |
George jumped from a window to the porch cover in the courtyard and ran home. |
O'Connor, Timothy J. |
Police Commissioner |
O'Connor inspected the aftermath of the fire along with Mayor Daley and other city officials. |
O'Donnell, Rosemary |
Girl |
O'Donnell, Thomas |
Fireman |
O'Donnell was a member of Engine Company 24. |
O'Neill, James J. |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
From his daughter Dawn: “James was a survivor of the fire. He did not talk about it much. It was obvious that it was still etched in his memory. He told me that there was a website and I wish I would have looked at it sooner so that I could question him more about the details. He passed away on June 11, 2004. He is survived by his wife, two children, two step-children, and six grand-children. He lived a full and happy life and was loved by many. He will be missed.” |
O'Neill, Sister Mary Helaine |
Eighth grade teacher in room 211 |
Sister Helaine O'Neill was severely burned but survived. She was the only teacher to survive a classroom in which many students perished. She was brought down a ladder from room 211 by firemen, critically burned. She was born in Chicago on September 16, 1902 and entered the BVM Community on February 2, 1922. She passed away on September 27, 1975. |
O'Shea, Daniel |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Daniel was one of at least four boys who were assigned to carry waste papers from their classrooms to be dumped in a container in the boiler room for later incineration by the janitor. He reported nothing out of the ordinary while completing this duty, and returned to his classroom without noticing fire or smoke anywhere. |
Oenes, Donald |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Donald was badly burned but survived. |
Ognibene, Carol |
Seventh grade girl |
The cousin of Father Joe. |
Ognibene, Rev. Joseph |
One of four associate pastors living in the rectory at the time of the fire |
Father Ognibene, together with parent Sam Tortorice helped children escape from the rear window of room 209 and into a window in the annex. From there they could flee down a steel internal stairway and out the Iowa Street side of the school. “I was hurrying to the school in my car. I saw smoke coming from the upper windows and drove my car the wrong way up a one-way street. I parked the car and ran into the building. Some children were leaving the building in an orderly fire-drill manner. Others were running about, screaming. Then everything was ablaze. I tried ... I wanted to ... it was the will of God.” Father Joe, as he was affectionately known, was a 32-year-old native Chicagoan who came to Our Lady of the Angels in 1952, and was well liked by the children of the school. OLA was his first assignment after ordination. |
Olandese, Carl |
Sixth grade boy |
Brother of Joann Olandese, cousin of James Marcello. |
Olandese, Joann |
Fifth grade girl age 10 |
Sister of Carl Olandese, cousin of James Marcello. |
Olechowski, Barbara |
Seventh grade girl |
Cousin of Janet and Michaeline Olechowski. |
Olechowski, Janet |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Sister of Michaeline Olechowski, cousin of Barara Olechowski. |
Olechowski, Michaeline |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 105 |
Sister of Janet Olechowski, cousin of Barbara Olechowski. |
Olen, Patricia |
Fifth grade girl |
Orlando, Anita |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Anita stayed home the day of the fire with a low grade fever. |
Orlando, Louis |
Fourth grade boy |
Osterkorn, John L. |
Fireman |
John passed away on November 27, 1999. |
Oswald, John |
Chicago Tribune Reporter |
John was a north suburban reporter who was dispatched to the scene. |
Ouimet, Richard |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Richard escaped but suffered smoke inhalation, a collapsed lung and burns. |
- P - |
Pacini, Rosemarie |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 206 |
Rosemarie escaped without injury. She passed away in January 2004 after losing a battle with cancer. Sister of Yvonne Pacini. |
Pacini, Yvonne |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Sister of Rosemarie Pacini. |
Padula, Carol |
Sixth grade girl age 11 |
Sister of Michael Padula. |
Padula, Michael |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Brother of Carol Padula. |
Padula, Susanne Rose |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Page, Theresa |
Seventh grade girl in room 202 |
Pales, Robert |
Fourth grade boy in room B |
Palmisano, Camile |
Fourth grade girl |
Palmisano, Diane |
Seventh grade girl in room 208 |
Diane escaped but suffered some burns. |
Palumbo, Mike |
Fireman |
Mike was a member of Engine Company 26, one of the companies called on the box alarm at 2:44 pm. |
Palumbo, Rita |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 211 |
Panno, Frances |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Frances was rescued from a window by a fireman. She was treated at Franklin Blvd Hospital for superficial burns and smoke inhalation. |
Panno, Joan |
Parent |
Mrs. Panno arrived at the school to pick up her daughter, Frances, and found smoke and flames belching from the building. Mother of Frances Panno. |
Paolella, Patricia |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 207 |
Paolella, Rose |
Parent |
Rose, who lived across the street from the school, gave first aid and shelter to many fire victims. Mother of Patricia Paolella. |
Pape, Frank |
Policeman |
Pape was one of several officers who questioned children after the fire. |
Parenti, Catherine |
Fourth grade girl |
Pareti, JoAnn |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Parolin, John |
Fifth grade boy age 11 |
John passed away on January 9, 2018. Brother of Livio Parolin. |
Parolin, Livio |
Second grade boy age 8 in room 103 |
Livio passed away on January 1, 2021. Brother of John Parolin. |
Pasquesi, James J. |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 207 |
Brother of Louis Pasquesi. |
Pasquesi, Louis |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room B |
Brother of James Pasquesi. |
Patano, Donald |
Eighth grade boy age 12 in room 209 |
Donald escaped without injury |
Patrasso, Antoinette |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 212 (fatality) |
Sister of Thomas Patrasso. |
Patrasso, Thomas |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 103 |
Thomas escaped without injury. Brother of Antoinette Patrasso. |
Pawelek, Casimer |
Seventh grade boy age 12 |
Brother of Marianne and Joseph Pawelek. |
Pawelek, Joseph |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Casimer and Joseph Pawelek. |
Pawelek, Marianne |
Fifth grade girl in room 212 |
Marianne had surgury on her chin and spent three months in the hosptial recovering from a fractured hip she suffered as a result of falling or being pushed from her second-floor classroom window. |
Pawlik, Eileen |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Pedersen, Irene Burke |
Nurse |
Pellettiere, JoAnn |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
JoAnn escaped without injury. Just minutes before the fire, JoAnn was asked to assist with a birthday party in a first grade classroom on the first floor. When the fire alarm sounded, she helped the first graders exit the building safely. Sister of John Pellettiere. |
Pellettiere, John |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
John and his classmates from room 101 were able to exit safely through the front door. He later married Janice Pomilia, a survivor of room 102. John and Janice live in Long Grove, Illinois. Brother of JoAnn Pellettiere. |
Peneschi, Joyce |
Fourth grade girl age 10 in room 108 |
Sister of Thomas Peneschi. |
Peneschi, Thomas |
Third grade boy age 9 in room 109 |
Brother of Joyce Peneschi. |
Penzin, Harry |
Policeman |
Penzin arrived shortly before 3 pm and, seeing all the injured children, immediately called for all available police squadrols and ambulances in the city. Later, he was one of several police officers who questioned children after the fire. |
Peretti, Joseph Jr. |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212. |
Perry, Barbara |
Seventh grade girl |
Sister of Carolyn and Dorothy Perry, cousin of Joan, Kathy, Margaret and Mary Ann Perry. |
Perry, Carolyn Marie |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Sister of Barbara and Dorothy Perry, cousin of Joan, Kathy, Margaret and Mary Ann Perry. |
Perry, Dorothy |
Second grade girl |
Sister of Barbara and Carolyn Perry, cousin of Joan, Kathy, Margaret and Mary Ann Perry. |
Perry, Joan |
Kindergarten girl age 5 |
Sister of Kathy, Margaret and Mary Ann Perry, cousin of Barbara, Carolyn and Dorothy Perry. |
Perry, Kathleen |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Sister of Joan, Margaret and Mary Ann Perry, cousin of Barbara, Carolyn and Dorothy Perry. |
Perry, Margaret |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Sister of Joan, Kathy and Mary Ann Perry, cousin of Barbara, Carolyn and Dorothy Perry |
Perry, Mary Ann |
Fourth grade girl |
Sister of Joan, Kathy and Margaret Perry, cousin of Barbara, Carolyn and Dorothy Perry |
Perryman, Patricia |
Seventh grade girl age 14 in room 208 |
Patricia received minor injuries after falling down a ladder and being caught by a fireman. |
Peruzzo, Albert |
Second grade boy age 6 |
Brother of Maria Peruzzo. |
Peruzzo, Maria |
Kindergarten girl age 5 |
Sister of Albert Peruzzo. |
Pesoli, Dennis |
Kindergarten boy in Mary Hall |
Brother of Elaine and Frank Pesoli. |
Pesoli, Elaine |
Fourth grade girl age 10 in room 210 (fatality) |
Pesoli, Frank |
First grade boy |
Brother of Elaine and Dennis Pesoli. |
Petrelli, Joanne |
Second grade girl |
Sister of Mary Jo Petrelli. |
Petrelli, Mary Jo |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 206 |
Sister of Joanne Petrelli. |
Petruzzi, Joseph |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Cousin of Betti Marino. |
Pettenon, Joanne |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 201 |
Joanne escaped without injury. Sister of John and Mary Ellen Pettenon, cousin of George and Janice Pomilia. |
Pettenon, John |
Third grade boy |
John escaped without injury. Brother of of Joanne and Mary Ellen Pettenon, cousin of George and Janice Pomilia. |
Pettenon, Mary Ellen |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Sister of Joanne and John Pettenon, cousin of George and Janice Pomilia. |
Picardi, Charles |
First grade boy in Joseph Hall |
Pierce, Charles |
Fireman |
Pierce had a lead role in the fire department's investigation of the school fire. He later became a chief with the department, Deputy Commissioner and briefly, Acting Commissioner. He was also a lead negotiator in the 1980 Chicago Fire Fighters Union strike. Pierce passed away at age 81 on March 11, 2000. |
Pierri, Vito M. |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 |
Pierro, Patricia |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Pikinski, Edward |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Pilas, Anthony R. |
Fireman |
Pilas was superintendent of field inspectors for the Chicago Fire Prevention Bureau. A native Chicagoan who attended public schools and graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Pilas began working for the Fire Department in 1937. In 1944, he was promoted to lieutenant, the youngest of that rank in the department at the time. When he became a captain in 1958, he joined the Fire Prevention Bureau, the department's code enforcement arm. Pilas became a Battalion Chief 1967, and in 1970 he became a Division Marshal. He also was first deputy of the bureau. He retired at the mandatory age of 63 and became a department deputy director in a civilian capacity until 1980. Pilas also was a precinct captain in the 31st Ward regular Democratic organization, with which he was affiliated for 30 years. Pilas' only daughter, Nancy, died at age 12 in the OLA fire. Tony passed away on December 18, 1987. Father of Nancy Pilas, uncle of Carol Pilas. |
Pilas, Carol |
Eighth grade girl in room 209 |
Cousin of Nancy Pilas, niece of Tony Pilas. |
Pilas, Nancy |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 211 (fatality) |
Nancy's father, Tony, was superintendent of field inspectors for the Chicago Fire Prevention Bureau. Cousin of Carol Pilas. |
Pils, Anthony |
Fireman |
Pils was a CFD Division Marshall, and one of the first to enter the school via the north-side second floor windows. |
Piro, Francine |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 201 |
Francine escaped without injury. |
Pisani, Rosemary |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Rosemary was rescued by parent Sam Tortorice and Father Ognibene through the rear window of room 209. |
Piscopo, Frank |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Brother of Michael Piscopo, cousin of Mike Guzaldo. |
Piscopo, Jerry |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Piscopo, Michael |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Brother of Frank Piscopo, cousin of Mike Guzaldo. |
Pizzolato, Darlene |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Darlene later married survivor Dennis Gioffredi. |
Plovanich, Daniel |
First grade boy age 6 in room 107 |
Dan escaped without injury. Brother of Matt and Michael Plovanich. |
Plovanich, Matt |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 207 |
Like others in Room 207, Matt nearly suffocated before being rescued by Fr. Hund and school janitor James Raymond. Matt went on to become a policeman. Brother of Dan and Michael Plovanich. |
Plovanich, Michael |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Michael escaped without injury. Brother of Matt and Daniel Plovanich. |
Plovanich, Rudy |
Policeman |
Plovanich was off-duty and rushed to the school to find his children. He ended up helping children escape from the south wing. Father of Daniel, Matt and Michael Plovanich. |
Poggi, William |
Sixth grade boy in room 203 |
Poliski, Stephan |
Fireman |
Pollack, Anita Mary Katherine |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 212 |
Pomilia, George |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
George suffered a broken femur bone jumping from his second floor classroom window. He spent 6 weeks in traction in the hospital and came home in a body cast, where he spent another couple of months in bed in a cast. Brother of Janice Pomilia, cousin of Joanne, John and Mary Ellen Pettenon. |
Pomilia, Janice |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Janice escaped without injury. Sister of George Pomilia, cousin of Joanne, John and Mary Ellen Pettenon. |
Porcaro, Arlene |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 207 |
Cousin of Joyce and Jayne Porcaro. |
Porcaro, Jayne |
First grade girl age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Sister of Joyce Porcaro, cousin of Arlene Porcaro. |
Porcaro, Joyce |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Sister of Jayne Porcaro, cousin of Arlene Porcaro. |
Porn, Robert |
Fireman |
Robert was transported to Walther Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released after injuring his left eye while fighting the OLA fire. |
Powell, John |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Linda Powell |
Powell, Linda |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 206 |
Sister of John Powell |
Power, Thomas |
Fireman |
Power was a longtime firefighter on Chicago's West Side. His work included battling the fire at Our Lady of the Angels and the fires during the riots of 1968. His longtime friend and deputy state fire marshal, Jack Ahern, said Power was “an excellent firefighter, always the first one there, the hardest worker and the easiest guy to get along with in the firehouse. He was a fireman's fireman. He'd get to a fire and he wouldn't get rattled or anything. He'd know exactly what to do and how to do it. Thomas grew up wanting to be a firefighter and for many years was a member of Squad 7 on the West Side, the busiest fire squad in the city. The one thing outstanding about him was he was a super, super family man. He never swore. He never drank. He was a great example.” Power was known to fellow firefighters as “Happy.” During the OLA fire, Power helped rescue victims from their classrooms. According to his daughter, Eileen Bowery, it was the worst fire he ever fought because he was a young father himself at the time. He was a hard-working man who held a day job at Sears as he rose through the ranks of the Chicago Fire Department. He was heavily devoted to both firefighting and to his family. When his children were young, he loved spending time with them and years later, he was also very devoted to his grandchildren - he baby-sat and rarely missed a game, spelling bee or dramatic performance. In 1989, after retiring from firefighting, Mr. Power became a fire prevention inspector with the state fire marshal's office. He inspected state-licensed day-care centers, nursing homes and hospitals in Chicago and the suburbs and worked with local fire departments to make the facilities safe. He finally left firefighting at the rank of battalion chief when, at age 66, he fell and injured his shoulder after entering a burning building. “It never went through his head that he was a chief. He was just a regular guy,” said his daughter. “He never believed he should ask somebody to do something he wouldn't do.” He passed away on April 26, 2000, from complications following surgery. |
Pratola, Benjeman |
Fourth grade boy |
Prete, Joseph |
Eighth grade boy age 12 |
Brother of Michael Prete, cousin of August and Joseph Scolaro. |
Prete, Michael |
Kindergarten boy age 6 in Mary Hall |
Brother of Joseph Prete, cousin of August and Joseph Scolaro. |
Prezzia, Grace |
Girl |
Priore, Frank T. |
Second grade boy age 6 in room 104 |
Profita, James Joseph |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Profita, Margeret |
Seventh grade girl |
Sister of James and Thomas Profita. |
Profita, Thomas |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Brother of James and Margaret Profita. |
Pryzbo, Thomas |
Boy |
Pucionello, Daniel |
Policeman |
Pucionello, a 33-year-old policeman, was admitted to St. Anne's Hospital with unknown injuries. |
Pusateri, Karen Lolita |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Pyciarello, Daniel |
Neighborhood Father |
Daniel caught children as they leaped from the second floor windows until he was unable to move due to exhaustion and pain. |
- Q - |
Quinlan, John (Jack) |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 203 |
Brother of William Quinlan. |
Quinlan, William |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room B |
Brother of Jack Quinlan. |
Quinn, Robert J. |
Chicago Fire Commissioner |
Quinn was Commissioner from 1957 until his retirement in 1978. He is credited with the idea of the snorkel, a water deliver system mounted on an elevated platform similar to that used by tree trimmers. |
- R - |
Racanelli, Vito |
Fifth grade boy |
Radecki, Fred |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 204 |
Radogna, Nick |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Ragona, James |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Rainiero, Michael |
Doctor at Franklin Hospital |
Rainiero's daughter, Nina, was a student in Room 201. |
Rainiero, Nina |
Seventh grade girl in room 201 |
Nina's father was a doctor at Franklin Hospital who treated some of the injured OLA students. Nina was not injured. |
Ramelli, Michael |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Ramlow, Gary |
First grade boy age 6 |
Gary escaped without injury. His older brother Roger was killed in Room 211. Gary later became a taxi driver, and remained unmarried and childless until his death at age 35 on July 26, 1987. Brother of Roger Ramlow. |
Ramlow, Roger Alan |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Brother of Gary Ramlow. |
Ramsey, George L. |
Chicago Building Commissioner |
Raymond, James |
OLA Parish Janitor |
Janitor James Raymond, a 13 year employee of the parish, was returning to the school from another parish property when he noticed smoke at the rear of the school. When he ran to investigate he saw an ominous red glow coming from a basement-level frosted window. He rushed into the basement and through the boiler room to discover that a fire was blazing in the northeast stairwell. He ran to the rectory next door and alerted housekeeper Nora Maloney to call the fire department because the school was on fire. He then ran back into the school and made his way to the second floor where he ran into priest Charles Hund, who had discovered that the children and nun in room 207 were trapped behind a locked classroom door. Raymond unlocked the door, and together with Father Hund, quickly pulled the half conscious children and teacher from the increasingly hot and toxic classroom to the school's lone second-floor fire escape. Just seconds after the last child exited the room, it flashed over. All 40 would have perished but for the heroic efforts of Raymond and Hund. After the fire, Raymond came under suspicion during his Coroner's Jury testimony, in part because he was unable to account for a ten minute gap between the time he believed he discovered the fire and the time the housekeeper called the fire department. He was also a convenient scape goat for an investigation that was floundering in its efforts to find the cause of the fire. Church and city officials did nothing to dispell the suspicion and rumors that descended upon Mr. Raymond because that helped deflect attention away from their culpability in allowing a school to be such a fire trap. Among the rumors that circulated after the Coronor's Jury was that sloppy housekeeping in the school on the part of Raymond led to the fire. Students and staff knew this was ridiculous because Raymond kept the school very clean and uncluttered. The most absurd rumor of all held that perhaps Raymond set the fire himself. There wasn't the slightest bit of evidence to support this, nor any suggestion that he might be capable of such a heinous act. But what made it particularly outrageous was that four of Raymond's six children were in classrooms in the main school building when the fire started. Government officials, recognizing there was no case against Raymond, never leveled an accusation against him, but they did nothing to discourage the ugly rumors against him. When the new school opened, church officials hired a new janitor for the school, leaving Raymond with the remaining parish properties. The cruel and unfounded rumors and suspicion eventually took its toll, leaving Raymond a broken man, eventually leading him to alcohol and an early grave. Father of Mary Kay, Robert, Thomas, John and Marty Raymond. |
Raymond, John |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 212 |
John survived by jumping from a window. He spent a week in the hospital with a back injury and badly bruised hip from the fall. John was quoted while in Franklin Boulevard Hospital as saying “I want to get outside in the fresh air. It's all hospital-smelly and everything here.”. John passed away on March 14, 2022. Son of James Raymond, brother of Mary Kay, Robert, Thomas and Marty Raymond. |
Raymond, Marty |
Kindergarten boy in Mary Hall |
Son of James Raymond, brother of Mary Kay, Robert, Thomas and John Raymond. |
Raymond, Mary Kay |
Fourth grade girl in room B |
Daughter of James Raymond, sister of Robert, Thomas, John and Marty Raymond. |
Raymond, Robert |
Eighth grade boy age 14 in room 211 |
Bob was dismissed from room 211 to help load donated clothing onto a truck as part of a parish clothing drive when the fire broke out. Son of James Raymond, brother of Mary Kay, Thomas, John and Marty Raymond. |
Raymond, Tommy |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Tommy was trapped for about 20 minutes in his south wing second floor classroom. Newspapers carried the following story, reported to be Tommy's account: “I stood there on the window sill and all I could think of was how I would look dead. Most of my other classmates had already got out and I was the last one, and when I walked into the hall the smoke was so thick I ran back into the room. Then I went to the window and took some books and threw them out through the glass to break the window. It's funny, but I remember which books I threw out. I threw out my reader and some test books. "After the window broke I stood up on the sill and began to think about jumping out from the second floor. That's when I saw the firemen down below. They shouted at me not to jump, that they'd come up and get me, so I got back off the sill. "Now that I think back how it started, I remember it was a singing lesson we were having. We didn't know anything about the fire until all of a sudden we heard a lot of screams. We couldn't make out what the screams were for a moment. Then we knew it was the eighth graders yelling, "Fire, fire, fire." "We started going out just like we did in fire drills. You know we had two or three fire drills already this winter because this was an old school and somebody always figured it was going to burn down someday. "By the time I got out into the hall I couldn't breathe, the smoke was so thick, so I ran into the back room. For a while I was all by myself and then some girls came running into the room. They were from another room. I yelled at them to lie down on the floor, because that's what I remember from fire drills to do when there's a lot of smoke. The girls said kids from other rooms were hanging on one another's belts to form a line to get to the stairs because it was dark as night on the second floor. "Then I saw a man coming through the door and we could see flames on the other side of the building. The man grabbed a few girls and led them back out with him. I stayed by the window, though, and I was scared. All I could think of was how I would look dead. Then the fireman came up and led me down the ladder.” Son of James Raymond, brother of Mary Kay, Robert, John and Marty Raymond. |
Reboletti, Jennifer |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 211 |
Jennifer was pulled from her classroom window by fireman Charles Kamin. “...he had me put my arms around his neck so he could pull me out of the crowded window and set me on the ladder behind him.” |
Reeb, Edward |
Sixth grade boy age 11 |
Brother of Marilyn Reeb. |
Reeb, Marilyn |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Sister of Edward Reeb. |
Reilly, Anthony |
Fireman |
Remi, Sister Mary |
Afternoon Kindergarten teacher in Mary Hall |
Sr. Remi passed away on February 21, 2008. |
Renieris, JoAnn |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 204 |
JoAnn was one of the students shoved down the stairs by Sr. Andrienne and, as a result, escaped with only minor bumps and bruises. |
Riani, Florence |
Fourth grade girl |
Rice, John |
Fireman |
John was with Engine Company 95, one of the three engine companies responding to the box alarm placed at 2:44 pm. |
Richerson, Anna Marie |
Nurse at St. Anne's Hospital |
Anna Marie was a 31-year-old Registered Nurse working at St. Anne's hospital on December 1, 1958. She helped provide emergency treatment and care for many of the injured children brought to the hospital in the wake of the fire. She never forgot that day and the children whose lives were cut short. Anna Marie passed away in January 27, 2007. |
Riggio, Carlo |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Rippa, James |
Fourth grade boy in room 210 |
James jumped, fell or was blown out of a window. |
Rivan, Anna |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Sister of Sebastian Rivan. |
Rivan, Sebastian |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 212 |
Sebastian opened the rear door of room 212 to try to escape, but the smoke was too hot and dense. He then helped other kids escape through a window. He eventually escaped himself and was hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Brother of Anna Rivan. |
Rizzo, Donna |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Sister of Mark Rizzo. |
Rizzo, Mark |
Third grade boy age 8 in room 101 |
Brother of Donna Rizzo. |
Robarge, Katharine |
Second grade girl |
Katharine's classroom was on the first floor. |
Robinson, Charles |
Fireman |
Robinson was a member of Engine Company 85, the first Company to arrive at the fire. He worked with Ralph Clark, Henry Holder and others in rescuing children from room 212. He passed away in 1972. |
Rocco, Mary Linda |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Mary Linda was hospitalized at Walter Memorial with injuries. |
Roche, Tom |
Fireman |
Rocks, Henriette |
Nurse at St. Anne's Hospital |
She was known as Sister Katherine. |
Rocosz, Rick |
Fifth grade boy |
Rodriguez, Robert |
Fifth grade boy |
Rolewicz, Ronald |
Fourth grade boy |
Roman, Sharon |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Romanczak, Walter |
Fireman |
Romanczak was a member of Hook and Ladder Company 35. Together with Willard Martens he manned a life net in the courtyard below room 211 and attempted to catch jumping children. When the children saw the net, they began jumping many at a time, overwhelming the firemen, who soon had to abandon the life net and try to catch or break the fall of the youngsters cascading down upon them. |
Rooney, Susan |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Rose, Connie |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 207 |
"Initially, we all heard screaming and thought it might have been a Christmas party in one of the rooms. I sat at the front of the class immediately in front of the door. I saw thick smoke seep into the room around the glass transom. At exactly that moment, one of the boys called out to Sr. Geraldita that he saw smoke. Sister opened the door to the hallway and immediately closed it. In a very short time the smoke was so thick it broke the glass transom. The room was filling quickly with black, thick smoke. I understand the phrase, 'I couldn't see my hand in front of my face.' Sr. Geraldita had us move to the back of the room where I helped her to distribute clean cloths to put over our faces. She then had some of the boys stand on the desks to try to break the skylight hoping to clear the room of smoke. Not being successful, we were instructed to lie on the floor. I was quite sure I was going to die and prayed to our Blessed Mother to intervene for the sake of my parents. I was the second from the last to exit the classroom by the fire escape. I think Sr. Geraldita was behind me. As I stepped onto the fire escape, huge flames burst through the windows. I remember a fireman with an axe standing next to the back door from which we exited. I was quite sure it was the fireman who saved us." -Connie Rose |
Ross, Louis |
Neighbor |
Louis was finishing up a tuckpointing job in the area when he heard the news that the school was on fire. He drove his truck to the school to see if the ladders he had on top of his truck were needed. Those ladders were reportedly the first ones on the scene able to reach the second floor. His help and ladders saved many of the children. Says his niece, Joyce Peneschi: "I forgot what a hero my uncle was." Louis passed away in 1970. Uncle of Joyce and Thomas Peneschi. |
Rossi, Miss Joan |
Sixth grade teacher in room 203 |
Rossili, Harry |
Bystander |
Harry was a student at a nearby public school who witnessed many horrific scenes as he watched the tragedy unfold. He later became a Salvation Army volunteer because of the work he saw them do with OLA victims. |
Rozkuszka, Wanda |
Fourth grade girl |
Rufina, Sister Mary |
Third/Fourth grade teacher in room 108 (due to an extended illness, she was replaced by Mrs. Kizior for part of the 1958-59 school year) |
Ruggiero, Vito |
Eighth grade boy |
Russo, Sam |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Russo, Samuel |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Ruszczyk, Emily |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Emily climbed onto a window ledge before firemen arrived and, with a firm push from behind by Sister Mary St. Canice, sailed out the window. She landed on a roof covering a basement entrance. She received minor burn injuries and serious contusions, but no broken bones. |
Ryan, James William |
Second grade boy age 8 |
- S - |
Sacco, Anthony |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Anthony suffered burns to his arm. He was treated and released from the hospital the same day. Brother of Richard Sacco, cousin of Charlotte Ghilarducci. |
Sacco, Richard |
Eighth grade boy age 16 in room 209 |
Richard escaped without injury. Brother of Anthony Sacco, cousin of Charlotte Ghilarducci. |
Saccomonto, Carol |
First grade girl age 7 |
Sister of Mark Saccomonto. |
Saccomonto, Mark |
Second grade boy age 8 |
Brother of Carol Saccomonto. |
Salemi, Andrew |
Sixth grade boy age 12 in room 205 |
Brother of Maria Salemi, Uncle of Cheryl Curtis. |
Salemi, Maria |
Fourth grade girl |
Sister of Andrew Salemi, Aunt of Cheryl Curtis. |
Saletta, Diane |
Eighth grade girl |
Saletta, James |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Jim was in a first-floor classroom that was able to evacuate safely (unlike those on the second floor), but witnessed horrifying scenes of trapped children screaming for help at second floor windows, jumping and falling to the ground. Today, Jim is Fire Chief of the Huntley, Illinois Fire Protection District. |
Salmon, Jacquelyn |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 203 |
Sandies, Mary |
Girl |
Sansone, James |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 201 |
Sansone, Joe |
Policeman |
Sansone assisted at the fire scene and later helped deal with grieving parents at the morgue. |
Sansone, Mary |
Parent |
Sansone was one of the hundreds of panicked parents who watched the fire from the street, watching for her son, James. Mother of James Sansone. |
Sansonetti, Kathy |
Seventh grade girl in room 201 |
Cousin of Rosalie and Carolyn Sansonetti, sister of Peggy Sansonetti. |
Sansonetti, Margaret “Peggy” |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Cousin of Rosalie and Carolyn Sansonetti, sister of Kathy Sansonetti. |
Sansonetti, Rosalie |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 206 |
Sister of Carolyn Sansonetti, cousin of Kathy and Peggy Sansonetti. |
Sansonetti, Carolyn |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Sister of Rosalie Sansonetti, cousin of Kathy and Peggy Sansonetti |
Santangelo, Diane Marie |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Diane was identified only through dental records. |
Saraniec, Loralei |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room B |
Sarantakos, James |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
Sarley, William |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Sarno, Joanne |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Joanne's brother William also died at Our Lady of the Angels on December 1, 1958. The Sarnos were one of two families that lost two children. Sister of Ronald and Billy Sarno, cousin of Kathy and MaryAlice Galante. |
Sarno, Ronald |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 |
Brother of Joanne and William, both of whom died. Ronny jumped from a window in room 210, and other than a small burn, was uninjured. Just before he jumped, he yelled at Joanne to follow him out the window, but for whatever reason, she did not. Brother of Joanne and Billy Sarno, cousin of Kathy and MaryAlice Galante. |
Sarno, William |
Eighth grade boy age 11 in room 211 (fatality) |
William's sister Joanne also died at Our Lady of the Angels on December 1, 1958. The Sarnos were one of two families that lost two children. Brother of Ronald and Joanne Sarno, cousin of Kathy and MaryAlice Galante. |
Saska, Larry |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Larry passed away in May 2007. Brother of Rosemarie Saska. |
Saska, Rosemarie |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 108 |
Sister of Larry Saska. |
Scanlon, Nancy |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 |
Scardina, Carmen |
Eighth grade boy age 13 |
Brother of Lucille Scardina. |
Scardina, Lucille |
Second grade girl |
Sister of Carmen Scardina. |
Scarmuzzo, Carol |
Fourth grade girl |
Scarmuzzo, Craig |
Third grade boy |
Scheidt, Richard |
Fireman |
Newspaper photographer Steve Lasker snapped a photograph of fireman Richard Scheidt, a member of Rescue Squad 1, as he stepped from the school carrying 10-year-old John Jajkowski. Scheidt, a member of Squad 1, carried the bodies of nineteen children from the school on the evening of December 1, 1958. John Jajkowski was the first. Scheidt was forever haunted by the memory of the discovery of dozens of dead children piled underneath the windows in the second floor classrooms. It was the single worst thing he experienced in his career as a firefighter. Scheidt retired from the fire department as a captain in 1986. He passed away at age 81 on April 6, 2009. |
Schratzmeier, Linda |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Thomas Schratzmeier. |
Schratzmeier, Thomas |
Fifth grade boy age 11 in room 205 |
Today, Thomas is a police officer with the Dupage County sheriffs Office. Brother of Linda Schratzmeier. |
Schuller, George J. |
Chicago Fire Department arson investigator |
Schuller took photographs of the aftermath for the fire department's investigation. He passed away on December 23, 1993. |
Schutt, Kurt |
Fourth grade boy age 8 in room 210 (fatality) |
Kurt died of his injuries on December 8, 1958 |
Schwarz, Steven |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 104 |
Scimone, John |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
John was not at school on the day of the fire. Cousin of Carol Gazzola. |
Scolaro, August |
Seventh grade boy age 11 in room 208 |
Augie escaped without injury. Brother of Joseph Scolaro, cousin of Joseph and Michael Prete. |
Scolaro, Joseph |
Third grade boy age 7 in room 101 |
Joe escaped without injury. Brother of August Scolaro, cousin of Joseph and Michael Prete. |
Secco, Antoinette |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Segraves, James |
Staff physician at St. Anne's Hospital |
Dr. Segraves designed the disaster plan for St. Anne's Hospital, which was used for the first time following the fire. He passed away in 1967 while on vacation in Ireland. |
Senorski, Andrew |
Third grade boy age 9 in room A |
Andrew escaped without injury. Brother of Lorraine, James and Mary Senorski. |
Senorski, James |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Brother of Lorraine, Andrew and Mary Senorski. |
Senorski, Lorraine |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 204 |
Lorraine escaped without injury. Sister of Andrew, Mary Lynn and James Senorski. |
Senorski, Mary |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Mary escaped without injury. Sister of Lorraine, Andrew and James Senorski. |
Serafine, Arlene |
Girl |
Arlene was treated for her injuries at St. Anne's Hospital. |
Serafini, Arlene |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 |
Sexton, William |
Policeman |
Sexton was treated for his injuries at St. Anne's Hospital. |
Shabel, Carol |
Third grade girl age 8 in room 101 |
Shanahan, Edna |
Lay teacher |
Mrs. Shanahan was a teacher in one of the second floor classrooms in the south wing. All of her students escaped without injury. |
Shaw, Frank |
Fifth grade boy age 10 |
Brother of Margie and Marianne Shaw. |
Shaw, Margie |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Sister of Frank and Marianne Shaw. |
Shaw, Marianne |
Sixth grade girl |
Sister of Frank and Margie Shaw. |
Shillcutt, Donna |
Second grade girl in room 102 |
Donna escaped without injury. Sister of Sally Shillcutt. |
Shillcutt, Sally |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 207 |
Sally was not at school at the time of the fire because she had left for a dental appointment in the afternoon. Sister of Donna Shillcutt. |
Shirley, Miss |
Third grade teacher in room 109 |
Miss Shirley later married and became Mrs. Wilkins. |
Shotsberger, James |
Third grade boy |
Brother of Terrence Shotsberger. |
Shotsberger, Terrence |
Eighth grade boy age 14 in room 209 |
Brother of James Shotsberger. |
Sickels, James |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 (fatality) |
Brother of Larry Sickels. |
Sickels, Larry |
First grade boy age 6 in room 107 |
Brother of James Sickels. |
Sienkiewicz, Kenneth |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Silvio, Paul |
Fourth grade boy age 10 in room 210 (fatality) |
Silvio, Victoria |
Fifth grade girl in room 105 |
Sister of Paul Silvio. |
Siragusa, Mariann |
Third grade girl age 8 |
Cousin of Louis Tatone. |
Skinder, Dennis |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room B |
Cousin of Donald, Diane and Raymond Traynor. |
Smaldone, Mary Ann |
First grade girl age 7 |
Both MaryAnn and her sister, Susan, were sick on the day of the fire, but unlike Mary, Susan was able to convince her mother to let her to attend school anyway. Sister of Susan Smaldone, cousin of Maria Glasgow. |
Smaldone, Susan |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Susan was sick on the day of the fire, but talked her mother into allowing her to attend school anyway. That afternoon, as the heat and flames invading her classroom became unsurvivable, Susan was pushed from a window by another girl who then clung to her legs as they fell, and crashed down on top of her. Susan was picked up by a fireman and rushed to the hospital. She was burned over 89% of her body and doctors told her parents that she would probably not live through the night. She did live through that night, and twenty more. Every doctor who checked her could not believe that she was still alive. The only areas of her body that had not been burned were the bottoms of her feet and across her chest. From her sister, Mary: “The doctors could not tell my parents everything that was wrong because they were unable to give her a complete check up due to the burns. They believed that her skull and been broken from the fall but they could not be sure. They were not sure if there was brain damage or not.” Even through her mind was strong her body was not. Tragically, she passed away on December 22, 1958, the cause of death listed as heart failure. Had she lived, she probably would have never walked again, and many of her fingers would have been amputated. Sister of Mary Smaldone, cousin of Maria Glasgow. |
Smid, Nancy |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Smith, Adele |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Somedics, Mary |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 |
Mary escaped by jumping from a window, but fractured her pelvis in the fall. She also suffered burns to her hand and leg and was admitted to St. Anne's Hospital. |
Sonzero, Charles |
Seventh grade boy in room 201 |
Sorce, Larry |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Larry was rescued through a window 211 by fireman Charles Kamin standing atop a ladder. |
Sparacello, Marc |
Boy on first floor |
Spatafore, Joseph |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 |
Joseph sustained burns over much of his body, and suffered head injuries and a shattered shoulder while jumping from room 210. He passed away on October 26, 2009 after having been diagnosed with cancer two months earlier. |
Spennacchio, Mauro |
Sixth grade boy age 10 |
Brother of Patricia Spennacchio. |
Spennacchio, Patricia |
Girl age 7 |
Sister of Mauro Spennacchio. |
Spidale, Robert |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sprovieri, Paul J. |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 206 |
Spurny, Frank |
Third grade boy in room 101 |
St. Denise, Sister Mary |
Morning Kindergarten teacher in Mary Hall |
St. Florence, Sister Mary |
School Superior (Principal) but substituting for Sister Mary Edgar's third grade class in room 101 |
St. Rita, Sister Mary |
Seventh grade teacher in room 202 |
St. Xavier, Sister Mary |
Fourth grade teacher in room B |
Stabile, Linda |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Stachura, John |
First grade boy age 6 in Joseph Hall |
John was in a separate building and was unhurt. Brother of Mark Stachura, son of Max Stachura. |
Stachura, Mark |
Fourth grade boy age 9 in room 210 (fatality) |
Mark perished as his father looked on from the alley north of the school, unable to rescue his son. Brother of John Stachura, son of Max Stachura. |
Stachura, Max |
Father of Mark and John |
Max was at home near the school when he smelled smoke and quickly realized it was coming from the school. He ran to the school where he helped Mario Camerini, the school's assistant janitor, place a ladder at one of the second floor windows on the north side of the school. He then spotted his son, Mark, at one of the windows of room 210 and, fearing that Mark would be injured if he jumped, ran home and got his own ladder. When he placed the ladder against the school, he realized it was too short, so he encouraged Mark to jump. Other children did jump, and Max caught as many as 12, but as Mark struggled to crawl over the sill, the room flashed over and Mark fell back into the blazing classroom. Father of Mark and John Stachura. |
Staggs, Jay |
Civil Defense Volunteer |
Staggs drove parents frantically searching for their children to hospitals and the morgue. |
Stapleton, Edmund T. |
Funeral Delivery Director |
Stapleton sent several hearses to the scene to help to transport children to both the morgue and to hospitals. Later, he also assisted at the morgue. He passed away on February 20, 2005. |
Steinmetz, Richard C. |
Coroner's Inquest Juror |
Steinmetz, chief special agent for the Mutual Investigation Bureau, said “It is wrong for inspectors to give the impression that a school is safe merely because no violations are found.” He urged fire safety experts to meet with teachers and principals and explain the possible results of fires starting in specific areas, and to then design fire drills accordingly. |
Stevens, Clifford |
Fourth grade boy |
Stobierski, Kathleen |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Stobierski, Michael |
Kindergarten boy age 5 |
Stoller, Christopher |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Chris was one of the students assigned to carry wastepaper from his classroom to the basement. He and Robert Gagliardi were among the last to be in the basement before the fire was discovered. |
Strativaris, Gregory |
Fourth grade boy |
Sturtevant, James |
Eighth grade boy in room 209 |
Sullivan, Barbara |
Fourth grade girl |
Sutton, Margaret |
Hospital Switchboard Operator |
Margaret fielded hundreds of calls from frantic parents searching for their children. |
Swaner, Charles |
Policeman |
- T - |
Taddeo, Miss |
Second grade teacher in room 102 |
Taglia, Angela |
Fifth grade girl age 9 in room 105 |
Sister of Dan and Joanne Taglia. |
Taglia, Dan |
Third grade boy age 7 in room 101 |
Brother of Angela and Joanne Taglia. |
Taglia, Joanne |
Seventh grade girl age 11 in room 201 |
Sister of Angela and Dan Taglia. |
Taliani, Debbie |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 207 |
Like most of her classmates in Room 207, Debbie escaped without injury, but just barely. Sister of Donna Taliani. |
Taliani, Donna |
Kindergarten girl age 5 in Mary Hall |
Sister of Debbie Taliani. |
Tamburrino, Carl |
Sixth grade boy |
Brother of Mary Louise Tamburrino. |
Tamburrino, Mary Louise |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
Tampone, Frank |
Boy age 6 |
Tampone, Philip |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 (fatality) |
Cousin of Teressa and Anthony Lombardo. |
Tanzi, Mary |
Eighth grade girl age 12 in room 209 |
Tanzie, Mary |
Girl |
Mary was treated for her injuries at St. Anne's Hospital. |
Tarenski, Mrs. Peter |
Neighbor |
Mrs. Tarenski lived at 900 N. Avers Avenue, across the street from the school. She saw a teacher leaning out of a second floor window shouting, “Everything is on fire up here!” She also saw children hanging out of the windows, screaming and crying. |
Tarsa, Alice |
Neighbor |
Alice lived at 912 N. Avers. “When I first looked out Monday, I just couldn't comprehend what was happening. I saw the smoke, but I thought the children were throwing bundles from the second floor windows. And then, oh God, I realized it wasn't bundles plunging down, but little kids.” Alice's home across the street from the school became something of a clearing house for boys who had escaped from the fire, while another neighbor, Antoinette Tartaglia handled the girls. Several other neighbors welcomed cold, confused and frightened children into their homes as well. |
Tartaglia, Antoinette |
Neighbor |
Antoinette lived at 948 N. Avers. Together with neighbor Alice Tarsa, she took dazed and confused children into her home. She took in some 30 girls until their parents could be contacted, while Alice did the same for about 12 boys. |
Tatone, Louis |
Fourth grade boy age 11 in room B |
Cousin of Mariann Siragusa. |
Taylor, Dorothy R.N. |
Nurse at St. Anne's Hospital |
When Nurse Taylor heard of the OLA tragedy, she volunteered her nursing services at St. Anne's Hospital. She was assigned to care for fourteen-year-old burn victim Valerie Thoma, which she did, right up until Valerie died of her injuries on March 10, 1959. |
Tedesco, Donna |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Sister of Joan Tedesco, cousin of Mary Jane Nuccio. |
Tedesco, Joanne |
Fifth grade girl |
Tesauro, Sylvia |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 211 |
Sylvia was hospitalized at Walther Memorial with burns. “Two girls entered our classroom and said the hall was filled with smoke. Sister tried to lead the class downstairs. We were forced back by thick smoke and had to go to the windows to get air. Many of the pupils became hysterical and were forced to remain until firemen raised ladders. As I came down a ladder, other pupils were jumping and falling from windows all about me. There was blood on the ground and children were lying all around as I reached the ground.” |
Testa, Louis |
Kindergarten Boy Age 5 in Mary Hall |
Thibodeau, Donna |
Girl age 8 |
Sister of Roger Thibodeau. |
Thibodeau, Roger |
Fourth grade boy age 9 |
Roger passed away in January 2004 from a heart attack. Brother of Donna Thibodeau. |
Thoma, Valerie Ann |
Eighth grade girl age 14 in room 209 (fatality) |
Valerie passed away on March 10, 1959 |
Thorpe, Robert |
Fireman |
Thorpe was a member of Hook and Ladder Company 26. |
Tianp, John |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Tillmer, Vallerie |
Girl |
Tortorell, Dan |
Chicago Tribune Photographer |
Photographer who captured the first arial photographs of the fire. |
Tortorice, Judy |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 203 |
Sister of Rose Tortorice, daughter of Sam Tortorice. |
Tortorice, Rose |
Eighth grade girl age 13 in room 209 |
Rose was rescued, along with a number of her classmates, by her father, Sam, and by Father Joseph Ognibene. Mr. Tortorice and Father Ognibene together swung children from the rear window of room 209 into a window in the annex, where they could escape down an interior metal staircase and out to safety. Sister of Judy Tortorice, daughter of Sam Tortorice. |
Tortorice, Sam |
Parent of two girls attending OLA |
Tortorice, along with Father Joseph Ognibene, helped rescue children from room 209, including his own daughter, Rose. Although his heroic efforts saved many children, the fire took a toll on him as it did so many who witnessed it up close and personal. He died of cancer in 1986. Father of Rose and Judy Tortorice. |
Travers, Kenny |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Traynor, Diane |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Diane sustained burns to her back and upper arms. Sister of Donald and Raymond Traynor, cousin of Dennis Skinder. |
Traynor, Donald |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 |
Don suffered from smoke inhalation and minor burns to his hands and arms. Don passed away on October 18, 2017. Brother of Diane and Raymond Traynor, cousin of Dennis Skinder. |
Traynor, Raymond |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 203 |
Brother of Diane and Donald Traynor, cousin of Dennis Skinder. |
Treppiedi, Joanne |
Fourth grade girl |
Tristano, Pearl |
Sixth grade lay teacher in room 206 |
Pearl Tristano was a twenty-four-year-old fifth-grade lay teacher who was teaching in room 206 on the day of the fire. She and lay teacher Dorothy Caughlan in room 205 herded their students quickly out of the school and into the church next door. As they left the building, Miss Tristano tripped the fire alarm. There is some question as to whether or not the alarm actually sounded at that time - some reports hold that it did not and that she returned minutes later and tripped it a second time. In either case, she is the person who activated the fire alarm, which began to ring throughout the school at 2:42 pm. She was not injured. |
Trok, Stephen W. |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 105 |
Troka, Beth |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 103 |
Today, she is Beth Atkins. She retired from the Chicago Police Department in 2015, where she was a Detective Sergeant. |
Trotta, John David |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 (fatality) |
John was clinging to life when rushed to the hospital, but died shortly after arriving. |
Truppa, James Vincent |
Eighth grade boy age 13 |
Cousin of Rosmarie Truppa. |
Truppa, Rosmarie |
Third grade girl age 8 |
Cousin of James Truppa |
Trybalski, Robert |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 211 |
Bobby suffered burns and was treated at the emergency room of Garfield Park Hospital. |
Tuchbreiter, Roy |
Coroner's Jury Foreman |
Turek, M.H. |
Physician |
Once firemen breached the second floor classrooms, Turek helped firemen search for living victims for first evacuation. |
- U - |
Uccetta, Serge |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 208 |
Serge escaped down a ladder placed at his classroom window before the fire department arrived. He was uninjured. |
Urban, Joseph |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Joey jumped into his mother's arms. She suffered an injured knee but Joey was unhurt. |
Urban, Lucille |
Parent |
Urban ran to the school and, standing outside her son's classroom, had him jump from his classroom into her arms. She suffered a minor knee injury but saved her son from injury or death. Mother of Joseph Urban. |
Urbanita, Sister Mary |
Sixth grade teacher in room 204 |
Uting, Francesca |
Sixth grade girl age 12 in room 205 |
Sister of Johnna Uting. |
Uting, Johnna |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Johnna broke her right ankle jumping from a window of room 212. Sister of Francesca Uting. |
- V - |
Vainisi, Frank |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 105 |
Frank escaped without injury. Brother of John Vainisi. |
Vainisi, John |
Second grade boy age 6 in room 103 |
John escaped without injury. Brother of Frank Vainisi. |
Van Geertry, Judith |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Veller, Carl |
Fourth grade boy |
Veller, Michael |
First grade boy in Joseph Hall |
Vendetta, William |
Chicago Tribune Photographer |
William arrived on scene at 3:30 and shot both black and white and color photographs. |
Ventrella, Linda |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 102 |
Verdone, Anthony |
Eighth grade boy in room 211 |
Anthony was helping with a clothing drive at the church and was therefore not injured. Brother of Carl and James Verdone. |
Verdone, Carl |
Third grade boy age 8 |
Carl escaped without injury. Brother of Anthony and James Verdone. |
Verdone, James |
First grade boy age 6 |
James escaped without injury. Brother of Anthony and Carl Verdone. |
Verzani, Jolanda |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 105 |
Sister of Peter Verzani. |
Verzani, Peter |
Sixth grade boy age 11 in room 207 |
With fire and smoke blocking one door of their classroom, and the other door locked, Peter and his classmates were trapped. Mere seconds before they all suffocated, the janitor, James Raymond, unlocked the rear door and together with Father Hund, feverishly worked to get everyone on their feet and down the school's only external fire escape to safety. Brother of Jolanda Verzani. |
Veto, Margaret |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
Margaret Veto (married name Kerrigan) escaped without injury. |
Vinceri, Carol |
Seventh grade girl age 13 in room 201 |
Virgilio, Mary |
Eighth grade girl age 14 in room 211 (fatality) |
Mary died shortly after arriving at the hospital. |
Vitacco, Catherine |
Fourth grade girl age 10 in room 104 |
Cathy later married Chuck Gerlach, a survivor of room 201. Sister of Christina and Frank Vitacco. |
Vitacco, Christina Marie |
Seventh grade girl age 12 in room 208 (fatality), she was the next door neighbor of fireman Stanley Wojnicki. |
Sister of Catherine and Frank Vitacco. |
Vitacco, Frank |
Second grade boy age 7 |
Brother of Christina and Catherine Vitacco. |
Vitale, Barbara Ann |
Seventh grade girl age 12 |
Cousin of Thea Vitale. |
Vitale, Thea |
Seventh grade girl age 11 in room 202 |
Cousin of Barbara Ann Vitale. |
Vitello, Carol |
Second grade girl age 7 in room 104 |
"I remember a slight commotion as doors opened and we all filed out into the smokey corridors. Fortunately, we were near to an exit and were immediately directed across the street to the convent only to look back at what seemed very surreal to a 7 year old such as myself. As I looked up and back at the school I remember thinking why are those kids waving at us from the second floor? I know I didn't realize initially that they were screaming and yelling for help...but I do remember the vision as if it were yesterday. Suddenly Iowa street became filled with parents, people looking for their children, grabbing you to see if you belonged to them. Then we were brought into the church and kept together by classrooms so that parents were able to find their children. I lived directly across the street on Hamlin and Iowa and watched my father crying as he came up the stairs to our apartment building, still not knowing if I was safe. The entire night we watched as the building smoldered ... There is very little left to say. It is amazing how one's memory can store such things." |
Voskresenski, Diane |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Sister of Noreen Voskresenski. |
Voskresenski, Noreen |
Third grade girl age 8 |
Sister of Diane Voskresenski. |
- W - |
Wade, Regina |
Second grade girl age 7 |
Walpole, Donald |
Chicago Fire Department arson investigator |
Walpole took photographs of the aftermath for the fire department's investigation. |
Walsh, Kenneth |
Fireman |
Walter, Larry |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
Larry suffered burns to his face and hands and was hospitalized at Garfield Park Hospital. |
Wankowski, Gail |
Third grade girl age 8 in room A |
Warzecha, James |
Eighth grade boy age 13 in room 209 |
James was one of a number of students interviewed on WGN on the day of the fire. He injured his legs when he jumped from a window. While crawling away, he ran into his friend, Bill O'Brien, who gave him a piggyback ride home. |
Warzeka, Donald |
Seventh grade boy age 12 |
Wassinger, Ellen Ann |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Wassinger, Gary |
Seventh grade boy age 11 in room 201 |
Waswil, Eugene Peter |
Sixth grade boy age 10 |
Brother of Stanley Waswil. |
Waswil, Stanley |
Seventh grade boy age 13 |
Brother of Eugene Waswil. |
Wenckowski, Charlene |
Second grade girl age 8 |
Wenckowski, Rochelle |
Fifth grade girl age 11 in room 207 |
Wentworth, Margaret |
Fourth grade girl |
Wessel, Donald |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Whedon, Harry |
Fireman |
Whedon was the Captain of Squad 1. |
Wheeler, Kathy |
First grade girl age 5 in Joseph Hall |
White, John |
Fireman |
John was hospitalized at Walther Memorial Hospital after suffering smoke inhalation while fighting the OLA fire. |
Whittaker, Michael |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Brother of Teresa Whittaker. |
Whittaker, Teresa |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 210 |
Teresa was severely burned but survived. She passed away from lukemia at age 29. Sister of Michael Whittaker. |
Wiater, Kathryn |
Fifth grade girl age 12 |
Wicyk, Peter (Skip) |
Fourth grade boy age 8 in room 106 |
Wiedrich, Robert |
Chicago Tribune Reporter |
Wiedrich arrived on scene while children were jumping out of windows. Once the fire was extinguished, he convinced Walter McCarron to allow him into the school, but he later wished he hadn't. “I was never so sorry I made that decision. It was just an absolutely horrible disaster in there. The dead kids, the smell, the water dripping ... it was a sight I'll never forget.” |
Wilkens, Shirley |
Third grade teacher in room 109 |
Wille, Lois |
Reporter |
Lois was a junior reporter with the Chicago Daily News. At the time of the fire, she was answering phones at the newspaper office, filling in for an ill telephone operator. That evening, she conducted an interview with a couple who had lost their only child in the fire. “It was just terribly moving because they brought out all the scrapbooks—I think she was an only child—they brought out her scrapbooks and confirmation pictures and her little dresses and talked and talked. I probably spent nearly the whole night there ... and then I went back and wrote the story, sometime before dawn. That was the first tragedy of proportions like that that I worked on.” |
Williams, Cathy |
Fourth grade girl |
Windle, John |
Fireman |
Windle was in charge of the Chicago Fire Department's new Snorkel Unit -- he operated the snorkel at the OLA fire. |
Wisz, Joseph Wayne |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 212 (fatality) |
Wisz, Michael |
Kindergarten boy age 5 in Mary Hall |
Brother of Wayne Wisz. |
Wlas, John |
Seventh grade boy |
Wojnicki, Richard |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 102 |
Wojnicki, Stanley |
Fireman |
Lieutenant Wojnicki was a member of Engine Company 85, the first Company to arrive at the fire. He didn't talk about the fire to anyone for over a year afterward. “I had nightmares. I'd wake up my wife screaming at night. I was going to quit after that fire. I get very emorional about it. 'Cause why couldn't we save those kids?” Wojnicki passed away on the 30th anniversary of the fire, December 1, 1988. |
Woodward, Nancy |
Sixth grade girl age 11 in room 204 |
Wrona, Richard |
Seventh grade boy age 12 |
- X - |
Xavier, Sister Mary St. |
Fourth grade teacher in room B |
- Z - |
Zacharko, Frank |
Second grade boy age 7 in room 102 |
Brother of George Zacharko |
Zacharko, George |
Seventh grade boy age 12 in room 202 |
Brother of Frank Zacharko |
Zagone, Geraldine |
First grade girl |
Geraldine escaped injury because she went home early the day of the fire due to illness. Sister of Rosemary Zagone. |
Zagone, Linda |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Linda was admitted to St. Anne's Hospital. |
Zagone, Paulette Marie |
First grade girl age 6 |
Paulette escaped without injury. |
Zagone, Rosemary |
Fifth grade girl age 10 in room 212 |
Rosemary was hospitalized at Walter Memorial Hospital with severe burns, and broken bones resulting from jumping from her classroom window. Sister of Geraldine Zagone. |
Zangara, Philip |
Third grade boy age 8 in room A |
Zaworski, Diane |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room B |
Zito, Yolanda |
Fourth grade girl age 9 |
Zochowski, Gerald Allan “Al” |
Fourth grade boy age 8 in room B |
Al escaped without injury. Brother of Thomas Zochowski. |
Zochowski, Thomas Richard “Rich” |
Fifth grade boy age 10 in room 105 |
Rich escaped without injury. Brother of Gerald Zochowski. |
Zych, Theresa |
Fourth grade girl age 9 in room 106 |
People Listed: 1114 |
Page last updated: 11/12/2024 |
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