LB students recognized for essays on fire prevention

The Long Branch Exchange Club recently held its 30th annual Fire Prevention Essay contest, and five fifth-grade students of the city's public school system were selected as the 2007 winners.

Winners included the following students: Brooke Attardi, who attends the Amerigo A. Anastasia School; Jessica Rojas, Audrey W. Clark School; Briana Vieira, West End School; and Alexa Rodriguez and Victoria Cattelona, both of Gregory Elementary School.

Fire Prevention Day was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. That fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless and destroyed more than 17,400 structures.

The fire started on Oct. 8, 1871, and historians do not know exactly how the fire started, according to a press release from Long Branch public schools.

The biggest fire that day was not in Chicago, according to the release, which states that another fire had broken out in the northeast section of Wisconsin after railroad workers were clearing land for new tracks.

Flames from that fire, known as the Peshtigo Fire, spread to 1.3 million acres and killed 1,152 people and burned 16 towns to the ground, according to the press release.

"These children were the most eloquent and informed group of youngsters that I have had the pleasure of listening to," William Richards, Long Branch director of public safety, said in the press release.

Richards, who attended the luncheon, added, "They definitely knew their subject matter and were studious in their research."

A luncheon hosted by Exchange Club member Joseph E. Sirianni was held at Tuzzio's Restaurant to recognize the essay contest winners.