The Fire
May 17, 1968
As New Rochelle High School was on a split session, students began arriving by 6:30 am to access their lockers, have breakfast in the cafeteria and to prepare for the school day. That was the case on Friday, May 17 when the tragedy began to unfold.
Just after 7 am, a construction worker smelled smoke and, locating a fire in a trash basket in the library, threw it out of a window. At about the same time, the head custodian found another, more intense fire with suffocating smoke, in the library's ante-room. Fires had originated in at least two locations. |
The first fire alarm was sounded at 7:22 am, twenty-three minutes before the beginning of first period. All students and personnel exited the building safely although the workman who discovered the library fire was hospitalized in critical condition for smoke inhalation. Within minutes the flames quickly spread upwards through an elevator shaft. The fire traveled into a cockloft, or loft, running along the wooden roof and then expanding across the structure.
At 9:11 am, a three alarm fire was declared. By 10 am, the auditorium roof had collapsed, destroying a beautiful theatre and its collection of costumes and flats. Both thick smoke and flames were visible from the campus as the fire continued to spread.
Although this was a sunny, spring day, wind blowing twenty miles per hour from the northwest fanned the flames. This wind caused the fire to move quickly across the roof and made combatting the blaze even more difficult.
Workers removed enclosures around the construction site of the new library, in front of the building, so fire apparatus would have access to the school's right wing.
Although this was a sunny, spring day, wind blowing twenty miles per hour from the northwest fanned the flames. This wind caused the fire to move quickly across the roof and made combatting the blaze even more difficult.
Workers removed enclosures around the construction site of the new library, in front of the building, so fire apparatus would have access to the school's right wing.
At noon, the school editor for The Standard Star newspaper reported that "it appeared the building will be completely destroyed." When it became apparent that the fire was out of control, staff entered the building to retrieve permanent records from the administration wing, as shown in the photograph on the Home page.
Students were seen on school grounds, stunned as the fire consumed their school, wondering what would become of the remaining school year, crying.
Students were seen on school grounds, stunned as the fire consumed their school, wondering what would become of the remaining school year, crying.
The fire was declared extinguished by 2 pm, but firemen continued to wet the smoldering cinders throughout that afternoon and night.
The fire burned through the roof between the three Gothic towers, gutting much of the structure below. The original façade of red brick and limestone survived. The main tower stood intact in the center of the ruins, with its clock stopped at 9:25 am. Spared were the 1959-60 wings and the foundation under construction for the new library.
The fire burned through the roof between the three Gothic towers, gutting much of the structure below. The original façade of red brick and limestone survived. The main tower stood intact in the center of the ruins, with its clock stopped at 9:25 am. Spared were the 1959-60 wings and the foundation under construction for the new library.
To battle the blaze, the New Rochelle Fire Department was assisted by fire fighters from Eastchester, Mount Vernon, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Pelham Manor and North Pelham for a total of 150 men. About sixteen pieces of fire equipment were employed and water was pumped from the Twin Lakes to battle the blaze. Five firemen were injured by the day's end.
The fact that there had been other earlier fires in the school, that at least three torches had been found, and fires appeared in multiple locations left no doubt as to its origin. The Police Commission characterized the cause of the fire by stating, "arson- no question." The Public Safety Commissioner declared the fire to be a case of arson, so a fire watch was declared for all New Rochelle schools on a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week basis.
An arson investigation was begun immediately. Forty-five teachers were individually interviewed on the afternoon of the fire by New Rochelle detectives to obtain any helpful information.
An arson investigation was begun immediately. Forty-five teachers were individually interviewed on the afternoon of the fire by New Rochelle detectives to obtain any helpful information.