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HLOM Guest Speaker Series: John Zach, “Built to Burn: The Cleveland Hill School Fire”
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce the next edition of its Guest Speaker Series. On Wednesday, May 1st at 7 pm, we welcome Buffalo author John Zach as he shares his latest book, “Built to Burn: The Cleveland Hill School Fire.” Admission is $5 or $3 for museum members. Please contact the museum at 585-343-4727 or hollandlandoffice@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
“Built to Burn,” tells the story of the tragic 1954 Cleveland Hill school fire in Cheektowaga, the worst school fire in New York State History. Fifteen children died, sixteen were burned, many critically. Three adults were also injured, one with life-threatening injuries. The cause of the flash fire was never officially blamed on one particular person. The book, however, suggests and tells otherwise. The narrative captures the lives of many of the survivors including one youngster who would later rub elbows with Elvis Presley, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and be inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. The release of my book coincides with 70-years marking the fire, March 31st.”
John Zach is a 56-year veteran of Broadcast journalism in Buffalo. Since his retirement in 2017, he has been a full-time writer, now promoting his third book. His first book, “The Train Man,” is and remains atop the list of most successful locally published non-fiction books. His second book, “The Day The Buffalo River Burned,” is a story documenting the pollution of the Buffalo River and the local man who led a 40-year crusade to clean up the waterway and preserve our waterfront. He has twice been awarded Citizen of the Year honors in Buffalo.
“This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!”