On Ash Wednesday, March 4, 1908, Collinwood's Lake View Elementary School became the site of the country's worst school tragedy. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., and while school was in session, overheated steam pipes ignited nearby wood joists. The fire spread quickly, and roughly half of the students were unable to escape. In the end, 172 children, 2 teachers and 1 rescuer perished in the fire. - Initially, it was believed that the students were unable to escape because the doors opened inward. This later proved to be in error--the children died partly as a result of their own panic. They rushed the doors, which soon jammed with the bodies of those trying so desperately to get out. Some teachers who could not get their classes to the crowded exits led the children out through the second and third floor windows. - Collinwood at that time was a small community of roughly 8,000 citizens, and many families lived near the school. When word of the fire spread through the neighborhood, hysterical parents rushed to the scene to find and rescue their children. Some tried to pull the children out of the doorways, or stood below the upper windows in an attempt to catch the jumpers. Sadly, most of their efforts proved futile, and they were left to watch helplessly as the fire consumed the entire building. - The bodies of 19 students could not be identified. The city of Collinwood purchased a common grave at Lake View Cemetery for the unclaimed children. - Although devastating, some good came out of this tragedy. It enhanced public awareness of fire safety and prevention, resulting in improved building and fire codes, as well as the nationwide practice of fire drills.
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Son of Mrs. Henry Barber. He rushed down and saw the jam at the door. He returned upstairs through smoke and fire, jumped out of the window, and died in the Glenville Hospital the following Friday night. Death resulted from inhaling of the flames. He was eleven years old. Glen's address was 4901 Westropp.∼
THE MARSHALL MESSENGER
March 7, 1908
Cleveland, Ohio, March 7, 1908
"The last of the victims of the Collinwood school fire to perish. He was eight years old. He died today from injuries sustained in his leap from the second story window of the school building.
A canvass of the school district shows 174 dead or missing, including two teachers.
Only 167 bodies have been taken out of the ruins. Twenty-five of these are still unidentified."
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UNIDENTIFIED INTERRED IN COLLINWOOD
By Associated Press
Cleveland, Ohio, March 9 1908
"Twenty-one little white caskets were placed beneath the ground of the cemetery at Collinwood today.
Of those, seventeen contained the bodies of the unidentified children who lost their lives in the burning of the Lakeview (sic) school.
Other four caskets contained the bodies of identified children, but included in the public funeral, as the expense will be borne by the village."
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Son of Mrs. Henry Barber. He rushed down and saw the jam at the door. He returned upstairs through smoke and fire, jumped out of the window, and died in the Glenville Hospital the following Friday night. Death resulted from inhaling of the flames. He was eleven years old. Glen's address was 4901 Westropp.∼
THE MARSHALL MESSENGER
March 7, 1908
Cleveland, Ohio, March 7, 1908
"The last of the victims of the Collinwood school fire to perish. He was eight years old. He died today from injuries sustained in his leap from the second story window of the school building.
A canvass of the school district shows 174 dead or missing, including two teachers.
Only 167 bodies have been taken out of the ruins. Twenty-five of these are still unidentified."
**********
UNIDENTIFIED INTERRED IN COLLINWOOD
By Associated Press
Cleveland, Ohio, March 9 1908
"Twenty-one little white caskets were placed beneath the ground of the cemetery at Collinwood today.
Of those, seventeen contained the bodies of the unidentified children who lost their lives in the burning of the Lakeview (sic) school.
Other four caskets contained the bodies of identified children, but included in the public funeral, as the expense will be borne by the village."
On Ash Wednesday, March 4, 1908, Collinwood's Lake View Elementary School became the site of the country's worst school tragedy. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., and while school was in session, overheated steam pipes ignited nearby wood joists. The fire spread quickly, and roughly half of the students were unable to escape. In the end, 172 children, 2 teachers and 1 rescuer perished in the fire. - Initially, it was believed that the students were unable to escape because the doors opened inward. This later proved to be in error--the children died partly as a result of their own panic. They rushed the doors, which soon jammed with the bodies of those trying so desperately to get out. Some teachers who could not get their classes to the crowded exits led the children out through the second and third floor windows. - Collinwood at that time was a small community of roughly 8,000 citizens, and many families lived near the school. When word of the fire spread through the neighborhood, hysterical parents rushed to the scene to find and rescue their children. Some tried to pull the children out of the doorways, or stood below the upper windows in an attempt to catch the jumpers. Sadly, most of their efforts proved futile, and they were left to watch helplessly as the fire consumed the entire building. - The bodies of 19 students could not be identified. The city of Collinwood purchased a common grave at Lake View Cemetery for the unclaimed children. - Although devastating, some good came out of this tragedy. It enhanced public awareness of fire safety and prevention, resulting in improved building and fire codes, as well as the nationwide practice of fire drills.
-------------------------
Son of Mrs. Henry Barber. He rushed down and saw the jam at the door. He returned upstairs through smoke and fire, jumped out of the window, and died in the Glenville Hospital the following Friday night. Death resulted from inhaling of the flames. He was eleven years old. Glen's address was 4901 Westropp.∼
THE MARSHALL MESSENGER
March 7, 1908
Cleveland, Ohio, March 7, 1908
"The last of the victims of the Collinwood school fire to perish. He was eight years old. He died today from injuries sustained in his leap from the second story window of the school building.
A canvass of the school district shows 174 dead or missing, including two teachers.
Only 167 bodies have been taken out of the ruins. Twenty-five of these are still unidentified."
**********
UNIDENTIFIED INTERRED IN COLLINWOOD
By Associated Press
Cleveland, Ohio, March 9 1908
"Twenty-one little white caskets were placed beneath the ground of the cemetery at Collinwood today.
Of those, seventeen contained the bodies of the unidentified children who lost their lives in the burning of the Lakeview (sic) school.
Other four caskets contained the bodies of identified children, but included in the public funeral, as the expense will be borne by the village."
-------------------------
Son of Mrs. Henry Barber. He rushed down and saw the jam at the door. He returned upstairs through smoke and fire, jumped out of the window, and died in the Glenville Hospital the following Friday night. Death resulted from inhaling of the flames. He was eleven years old. Glen's address was 4901 Westropp.∼
THE MARSHALL MESSENGER
March 7, 1908
Cleveland, Ohio, March 7, 1908
"The last of the victims of the Collinwood school fire to perish. He was eight years old. He died today from injuries sustained in his leap from the second story window of the school building.
A canvass of the school district shows 174 dead or missing, including two teachers.
Only 167 bodies have been taken out of the ruins. Twenty-five of these are still unidentified."
**********
UNIDENTIFIED INTERRED IN COLLINWOOD
By Associated Press
Cleveland, Ohio, March 9 1908
"Twenty-one little white caskets were placed beneath the ground of the cemetery at Collinwood today.
Of those, seventeen contained the bodies of the unidentified children who lost their lives in the burning of the Lakeview (sic) school.
Other four caskets contained the bodies of identified children, but included in the public funeral, as the expense will be borne by the village."
Inscription
Lost in the Collinwood School Disaster
Gravesite Details
Victim of Collinwood School Fire, March 4, 1908. Photos and information on the fire can be found at: http://seem.findlay.edu/docs/uploads/PubID12Article4.ppt
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