What caused the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire?
The fire started when a young couple removed a lightbulb for privacy, and a busboy was told to replace it, lighting a match to see better in the dimly-lit zone. Although he had apparently extinguished the match, the draperies ignited and flames and smoke spread rapidly through all areas of the club.
Did the Coconut Grove burn down?
On November 28, 1942, a quick and deadly fire ripped through the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, killing 492 people, and becoming, in minutes, the worst nightclub fire in American history.
What street was the coconut grove on in Boston?
17 Piedmont Street
The Cocoanut Grove was a restaurant/supper club (nightclubs did not officially exist in Boston), built in 1927 and located at 17 Piedmont Street, near Park Square, in downtown Boston, Massachusetts.
What lessons were learned from the Coconut Grove fire?
Safety lessons learned from Cocoanut Grove Illuminated exit signage and emergency lighting was required. Requirements for widely separated means of egress for higher occupancy loads and minimum exit widths were established. More attention was given to flame spread and smoke development.
What was learned from the Cocoanut Grove fire?
Safety lessons learned from Cocoanut Grove Regulations for emergency exit doors were changed to ensure that all exit doors swing outward. Illuminated exit signage and emergency lighting was required. Requirements for widely separated means of egress for higher occupancy loads and minimum exit widths were established.
What tragic fire occurred because occupants had to try to escape through a revolving door at the main entrance?
Building codes Anyone leaving a department store may have wondered why a central revolving door is often flanked by hinged doors on either side. That’s one legacy of the Coconut Grove fire, where so many died as they tried to exit the club’s single revolving door.
When was the Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston?
The Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston, Massachusetts, United States on November 28, 1942, was the deadliest nightclub fire in history, and second-deadliest single-building fire in American history, claiming 492 lives.
Who was the owner of Cocoanut Grove in Boston?
Cocoanut Grove owner Barney Welansky had suffered a heart attack two days prior to the fire. While injured patrons of his establishment were being treated in the lobby of MGH, Welansky was upstairs resting in a bed. Buck Jones, who did not survive after lingering for two days, was among the victims sent to MGH.
Who are the survivors of the Cocoanut Grove fire?
Video: On the 70th anniversary (in 2012) of the Cocoanut Grove fire, three survivors told their stories to NFPA Journal®. Ann Gallagher was a 16-year-old girl from NH who was in Boston with her family. Marshall Cole, another 16-year-old, was employed at the popular nightclub as a dancer.
Where was the nightclub fire in Boston located?
1942 fire at a nightclub in Boston, Massachusetts. The Cocoanut Grove Fire was a nightclub fire in the United States. The Cocoanut Grove was a premier nightclub during the post-Prohibition 1930s and 1940s in Boston, Massachusetts.