Ohio Penitentiary fire photograph   Save
Ohio Penitentiary Fire Collection
Description: This photograph shows a group of men identifying bodies of men who died in the Ohio Penitentiary fire of April 21, 1930. The fire killed 322 inmates, some of whom were trapped in their cells, and injured another 130. It was the worst disaster in American prison history. The prison, which was built in 1834, was notorious for having horrible conditions. At the time of the fire the prison population was more than twice the facility's capacity. The fire's origins have been debated, with some blaming prisoners and others claiming that it was an accident. Regardless of origin, the fire prompted officials to address the overcrowding and establish the Ohio Parole Board in 1931. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05869
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Fires; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio); Prisons--Ohio
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)