Video | Angels Too Soon | Chicago Stories

On December 1, 1958, a devastating fire swept through Our Lady of the Angels school in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood, killing 92 children and three nuns. Survivors, their families, and community members share their harrowing memories of that day and the heartbreaking aftermath. Audio-narrated descriptions are available.

Before it was a city of neighborhoods, Chicago was a city of parishes. Our Lady of the Angels parish was a close-knit, working class, mostly Italian community.

The fire at Our Lady of the Angels began in a trash can in the basement on a cold Monday in 1958. The fire quickly spreads, with devastating consequences.

Officials investigate the cause of the Our Lady of the Angels school fire as grieving parents and families call for change.

Jonathan Cain, a musician and member of the band Journey, was a survivor of the 1958 Our Lady of the Angels school fire. He shares his experience following the fire, and how music has been a source of healing for him.