Ohio Penitentiary fire photograph   Save
Ohio Penitentiary Fire Collection
Description: Doctors and rescue workers separate survivors from dead victims of the Ohio Penitentiary fire, 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 was at more than twice its capacity. The origins of the fire have been debated, with some blaming prisoners and others claiming it was an accident. Regardless of its origin, the fire prompted officials to address the overcrowding and establish the Ohio Parole Board in 1931. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05868
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Fires; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio); Prisons--Ohio
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)