Entertainment Facility Fires

On December 5, 1876, a major fire occurred in the Brooklyn Theater in New York when a stage backdrop ignited and 295 people were killed (Robertson, 1989, p. 8). Unfortunately, the tragedy of the Brooklyn Theater fire was followed by a fire in the Iroquois Theater in 1903, which was considered Chicago's safest theater at the time. A light set a curtain on fire and because there was insufficient planning for egress in case of a fire, human logjams and inadequate venting caused the death of 603 people. The Iroquois Theater fire, however, did provide substantial impetus to the fire prevention movement, especially in the field of public assembly occupancies (Robertson, 1989, p. 8). This paper surveys several fires that have occurred in public assembly occupancies since these earlier fires to review the social, economic and political impact each has had on our society. In particular, the paper surveys those fires that have caused significant loss of life, namely the Cocoanut Grove Lounge fire in Boston, Massachusetts, the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Southgate, Kentucky, and the Happy Land Fire in Bronx, New York.

For twelve minutes on the night of November 28, 1942, fire tore through the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in the Bay Village section of Boston. When firefighters finally finished dousing what remained of the club, they counted 492 people dead among the smoldering ruins. Thus, in 1942, the Cocoanut Grove fi

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ation (NFPA) found several major code violations, including inadequate exits and improper construction materials. In fact, the NFPA stated that the Life Safety Code in effect in Kentucky at the time of the fire would have prevented the large loss of life if it had been followed (Long & Fisher, 1997). In particular, the NFPA noted the "acute" lack of exits in the Cabaret Room, where most of the victims were found. Today, all municipalities require a specific number of exits in all buildings, as demonstrated by the Uniform Fire Code. However, such requirements are only effective if they are implemented and enforced. The Supper Club fire spurred new demands for improved fire safety measures, including inspection movements (Robertson, 1989, p. 9). Many of the patrons in the Club that night lived in other jurisdictions that strongly enforced their codes for public assembly occupancies. Robertson notes that national political leaders raised the question of the propriety of citizens of one jurisdiction being exposed to fire danger when visiting an area where code enforcement is not as stringent (Robertson, 1989, p. 9). The NFPA also cited toxic fumes as another significant cause of death in the Supper Club fire. Most of the victims di

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