LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Cleve-
land Hill School Fire in the Town of Cheektowaga, on March 31, 2014

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
significant events that represent turning points in our distinctive
history, and which are indelibly etched in the saga of our great Nation;
and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is moved to commemorate the
60th Anniversary of the Cleveland Hill School Fire in the Town of Cheek-
towaga; the Cleveland Hill Union Free School District will hold a Remem-
brance Ceremony to honor the victims and heroes of this tragedy on
Saturday, March 29, 2014; and
WHEREAS, March 31, 2014, marks the 60th anniversary of the Cleveland
Hill School Fire in the Town of Cheektowaga, New York, which claimed the
lives of fifteen sixth-grade children and injured at least 19 others;
and
WHEREAS, One of the worst school fires in New York State, the Cleve-
land Hill School Fire resulted in a nationwide reflection on school
building construction requirements; and
WHEREAS, On March 31, 1954, an undetected fire burned through the
walls and tore through the corridor of a wood-framed, one-story, eight-
room annex of Cleveland Hill School, causing panic among students and
faculty; and
WHEREAS, With the corridor impassable, courageous teachers immediately
sprang into action, directing children to break through school windows
with any items available to hand, including chairs; the teachers then
began to lift children out of the windows, allowing most to escape to
safety; and
WHEREAS, Disastrously, many windows were either too small to fit
through or simply would not open, creating a deadly situation for the
sixth grade class of Mr. Thomas Griffin, who were attending music class
with Mrs. Melba Y. Seibold; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Melba Seibold heroically saved 24 children from the
fire, and in the process received severe bums, suffered from smoke inha-
lation, and broke several vertebrae while jumping out the window; and
WHEREAS, Another hero of the Cleveland Hill School Fire was
11-year-old student Blaine Poss, who pushed three children to safety
before returning to help his girlfriend; he perished when a wall
collapsed on him; and
WHEREAS, Tragically, fifteen children were unable to escape or
suffered from injuries that would prove fatal; they were: Bruce Brand,
Verna Bagley, Marlene Dupont, Michael Hause, Elizabeth Lies, John Mendo-
fik, Blaine Poss, Reba Smith, Patricia Steger, Barbara Watkins, Patricia
Blendowski, Donald Kelleher, Marlene Miller, Suzanne Jors, and George
Hoffman; and
WHEREAS, The heroic action of Mrs. Melba Seibold and her colleagues
and other students resulted in the survival of 1,650 students and 150
faculty members, while firefighters bravely rushed into the inferno with
no regard for their own safety; and
WHEREAS, In the aftermath of the Cleveland Hill School Fire, many
changes were made to increase the safety of school buildings; there was
a national movement away from wooden-framed school buildings and, today
in New York State, regulations require rescue windows in classrooms to
have a minimum 6-square-foot opening; and

WHEREAS, The Cleveland Hill School Fire was the last time a public
school child died in a school fire in the State of New York, evidence of
a painful lesson well-learned; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when events of
such historic significance are brought to our attention, they should be
recognized by all citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore be
it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Cleveland Hill School Fire in
the Town of Cheektowaga; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Cleveland Hill Union Free School District.