The St. Elizabeth Hospital Fire in Iowa

One of the Largest Tragedies in Iowa History.
On January 7, 1950, a fire erupted at St. Elizabeth's Mental Health Facility for women. The disaster garnered state-wide and national attention as the second largest loss of life in the history of the state and the third largest hospital fire in the nation, to date. The fire, started by a patient, claimed the lives of forty patients and one nurse, while twenty-five patients were rescued. Rescue efforts were hampered by the fact that most patients were locked in their rooms at the time. Bret Grimes recounts the lives of those who fought and survived the ordeal.

About the author

Author Bret Grimes is an Illinois native and currently resides in the Quad Cities in eastern Iowa. In this book, he brings together his passion for preserving local history with his love of storytelling and preservation. Bret practices as a chiropractor in Bettendorf, where he lives with his wife and three children. This is his first book.

Product details

• Authors: Grimes, Bret Grimes
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC)
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2024
• EAN: 9781467155571
• ISBN: 978-1-4671-5557-1
• No. of pages: 128
• Dimensions: 150 mm x 226 mm x 8 mm
• Weight: 272 g
• Series: Disaster
• Subject: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous