Collinwood School Fire
From Ohio History Central
 The Collinwood Memorial Garden was created as a memorial to the children who lost their lives during the Lakeview Elementary School fire in Collinwood Village (near Cleveland) in 1908. The Collinwood School Fire occurred on March 4, 1908, killing 172 children, 2 teachers and a rescuer. |
The Collinwood School Fire took place on March 4, 1908. Lakeview School was located in the Cleveland suburb of Collinwood. A fire began in the school's basement. Because Lakeview School was built of wood, the entire building was quickly engulfed in flames. All of the exits were blocked by fire and smoke. The result was one of the worst tragedies in Ohio history. In all, 173 children, two teachers, and one rescuer died in the fire.
The Collinwood School Fire inspired local, state, and national governments to pass new building codes to prevent future disasters of this magnitude. The community of Collinwood raised funds to rebuild the school, making the new building a model for safety standards in that era.