The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1908-03-13
School Building at CoiIinwocd. O..
Burns and One Hundred and
Fifty Pupils Crcmated.
OWL FLOOR coLLApsEs.
Victims Are Trapped and Their Dead
Bodies Are Trocden Over in
the Mad Rush.

At least i.p sehoo children were
killed and scores injured. many prob
ably fatally. In the fire which attacked
and burned down the Isaaeview Public
School AT North Colllnwood- Ohio. a
Cleveland suburb. Wednesday. Nothing
bat the fonr charrcd walls of the build
ifg remain standing.
The fire broke OF so suddenly that
the children were trapped in their
| rsso:4is. In the terrible panic which fol-
lowed the littl.. ONES were knocked
down and mary were traraped to death
aud others injured so that all chances
o. their ,scape were taken from them.
The fire was started by an overhead
ell -srnase. The flames quickly spread.
4 panic cnsEai when the building
iilied with smoke and the 400 children
attempted to escape. There were only
two exits in the building that were
available. One OF these exits was used
freely by the children. but the other
toon became choked with the children.
rho dashed llsdiy for the oIen air.
Those who fell In the doorway were
~frainpleSi upon by those behind. and
soon the doorway was impossible.
Tie frightened and panic-stricken
children turned 10 escape by windows
anl any other means that could be
found. Escape was cut of by the
James which. BY this tine. had spread
throughout the rooms. The building
vas Of brick. yet this did not retard
the flames.
The Collinwooi fire department had
no extension ladders aud could not
reach the e%ntrapped children on the
third fiocf of the building. Some OF the
children jumped. Their fate was as
terrible as the little students who went
down enyeloTed In flames.
punils i'm Panic Forget Fire Dril.
school pupils OH the lower floor were
panic-stricken aud fought for "A means
II egress. many being trampled Mt the
doors. BOYS fought with their weaker
classmates i'm an effort TO Chamber over
their shoulders 10 the light showing
tt1A1ARD &HF NiObis uboAE t4it stlu-EiitE
mass of arms and legs as the children
.ought for freedom.
The crush at the exits was appalling.
rhe fire drill instruction which the chill
aren had received was forgotten as the
flames licked the stairs and the draft
from above carried the smoke and fame
after the fleeing pupils. driving them
in panic TO the street. Many escaped
the flames only to be injured in a mad
rush for safety. When they ran to the
head of the stairs they were beaten
back by the flames. They we're caught
like rats in a trap. Many dashed in
wild frenzy into the bank of fire, enly
10 stagger back exhausted.
Above. as the firemen battled with
tn. fire-fringed frame without. the chill
slren. little, weak ~fire-year-oidS and
their larger brothers and sisters and
playmates. appalled,. terror-stricken.
wept and screamed Ia a frantic appeal
for-aii.
Frnntic Par~sta Fight for Dsaie~.
As the news Of the fire spread
through the town frenzied parents. hat
less. their hair waving free as they
ran. rushed for the fire scene. Fran
tically the sgonized parents fought
with the police and fremen in their eff
fort 10 make their way int the struc-
tnre immediately the fire had ceased
10 he a barrier to their entrance. Tear
stained. wild-eyed mothers fought with
the police. fathers moaning quietly but
soabin. always. their hearts torn by
the picture of death before them. strug-
Cling 10 throw themselves into the
flames in a mad rush to save their
afsI,Tings or dfe with them in the fiery
tomb.
Houses In the nciyhborhood were
converted into morgues and the bodies
Of the children were arranged n rows
as fast as they were removed from the
wrecked building.
la their frantic state. mothers sorted
over bodies, one after another. tryin.
t. fund their missing children. In most
instances Identification was impossible,
rs tile bodies were burned and tram
pied beyond recognition.
The building was of brick. yet this
did not retard the progress OF the
flames. la Il few minutes the lower
foer fell. prccipitaiing scores Of chill
Irea to the basement. among the burn
.ng einoers.
The scene about the bulldiag wa.
hea~rtrending. Quickly the news OF thu
terrible catastrophe spread Throughout
The village and hundreds Of parent.
were crowaing about the building Ii
search OF their girls and boys. Plalnl,
the writing of stiiled forms OF dozens
of others could be seen In the base
mcnt. Nearby factories dismissed thei
men and instructed them 10 assist Ii
the rescue They brrved the fire AM
made heroic efforts to save those nh,
were not dead.