The fire apparently broke out just before 2pm & by 3pm the bravery of some - had resulted in most of the children being saved.. but tragically - 16 children & their beloved principal Miss Sarah Maxwell - perished - leaving Montreal just reeling from shock.

It was  a 4 story building & the older children were on the bottom floors & the younger children were on the upper floors. The newspaper gives conflicting renditions... but it seems that there was smoke & that wasn't unusual as they had a faulty furnace. By the time anyone realized the danger, it was too late to get the children out.. as the stairwells were full of thick smoke. Miss Maxwell & the teachers herded the children  back to the safety (??) of the upper room. 

Meanwhile there was an ice house almost directly across the street..& the workers there saw the flames & ran to find ladders - to reach the upper window/s. Not enough ladders were found...but of the ones that were, the men were able to save many children, thanks to the fact that Miss Maxwell & the teachers..were lifting the children (6-8yrs olds) out the windows to the men. Though relatively young, this was an enormous feat on the part of these women as the children must have been heavy . One story says the fire dept only saved 2 children.. (didn't get there in time) & almost saved Miss Maxwell..but an explosion prevented that. Another story says Miss Maxwell just collapsed from fatique. At least 50 children were saved.  -- The confusion that followed was "unreal" - as desperate parents arrived on the scene searching for their loved ones. Many had been taken to homes nearby.. & the bodies had been taken to the morgue. The newspaper had full coverage of the anguish (& in some cases relief) of the parents who feared the worst...& later found their children alive. The inconsolation  of the parents who lost children is difficult to read.

Then followed a campaign (seems to have been the brainchild of the Montreal Star - but I've only looked at that newspaper.) They  asked children to send in their donations for a fitting "memorial" to Miss Maxwell.  I've found 13 "instalments" so far.. & this certainly will interest all of you who had family in Montreal at the time... but I can't possibly type up all these names. The idea was (& here's where we come in) to help future Montrealers know the bravery of this one lady by making a "memorial" to her memory that no one could forget."