21 students at The Institute of the Immaculate Conception - 1884

A watchman discovered fire at the boarding school for girls and young women. He tried to wake the nuns who were in charge of the boarding school but they believed him to be a drunken man and refused to open the gates. It delayed the rescue work and other delays was caused by closed doors and poor ideas about escape routes.

In the end 26 people died - 21 were students and one even came from as far away as Germany.

The boarding school was rebuilt but it never became the same capacity in the local society as it was before the fire.

May all who died back then continue to rest in peace.


Sources:

• 26 died in 1884 Belleville boarding school fire (Belleville News Democrat)
• onvent of the Immaculate Conception (Genealogy Trails)