What caused Coconut Grove fire?

What caused Coconut Grove fire?

Research in the early 2000s had indicated that a leading cause of the Cocoanut Grove Fire was the presence of methyl chloride within the air conditioning system, a highly flammable chemical.

What happened to the Coconut Grove?

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. The club was a fire trap.

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.

Who owned the Coconut Grove nightclub?

Barney Welansky
On the night of the Cocoanut Grove fire, club owner Barney Welansky was recovering from a heart attack at Massachusetts General Hospital. Described as a 45-year-old portly martinet, he had bragged he didn’t have to obey the building code because of his connections to Boston Mayor Tobin.

How many people died in the Copacabana fire?

The final death count established by Commissioner Reilly was 490 dead and 166 injured. The number of injured was a count of those treated at a hospital and later released. Many other patrons were injured but did not seek hospitalization. As the years went by, the recognized number of fatalities became 492.

Who was Barney Welansky?

Businessman, Criminal. He received public notoriety as the owner of the Cocoanut Grove Supper Club at 17 Piedmont Street in Boston, Massachusetts.

What well known actor was killed in the Cocoanut Grove fire?

Boston newspapers were filled with lists of the dead and stories of narrow escapes. Well-known film actor Buck Jones was at the club that night, and his wife later explained that he had initially escaped then gone back into the burning building to find his agent, producer Scott R. Dunlap of Monogram Pictures.

Who died in the Cocoanut Grove fire?

The board identified that, as of the date of their findings, 39 servicemen (31 Navy, 5 Coast Guard, 3 Marine Corps) had died as a result of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire, while 27 (19 Navy, 8 Coast Guard) had sustained injuries.

Why was the Ambassador Hotel demolished?

In 2001, LAUSD purchased the property and announced its intent to build three schools on the site for the Wilshire Center-Koreatown community, one of the densest and underserved areas in the District. After an epic battle to preserve the hotel ended in defeat, the Ambassador Hotel was demolished in 2005-2006.

What is the deadliest fire in history?