Searching for answers to the Cocoanut Grove Fire of 1942. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration The Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire is America’s deadliest nightclub fire, and, until 9/11, it was the second-deadliest single-building fire in United States history. That was in May 1977. Boston: City of Boston Printing Dept., 1944. On the night of the fire, the Cocoanut Grove was packed with about 1,000 people, double its capacity. Boston: Boston Sparks Association, 1982. The Cocoanut Grove Fire. The Cocoanut Grove fire was the worst nightclub fire in U.S. history, killing five times as many people as The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I., 60 years later. In one night, that fire inspired change in building code across the country, advanced medical treatment for burn victims, popularized the use of penicillin, and put the mob on display. Esposito, John C. Fire in the Grove. Some believe faulty wiring caused it. Grant, Casey C. Last dance at the Cocoanut Grove. The barman told a busboy to replace it. Linney passed every topic and made only two specific notations -- No flammable decorations and a sufficient number of exits. The Cocoanut Grove fire occurred on November 28, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts. Schorow, Stephanie. The legal capacity of the Cocoanut Grove was 460 people, but on Saturday, November 28, 1942, nearly 1,000 patrons, entertainers and staff were there dining and dancing. See more ideas about coconut grove fire, coconut grove, fire. The 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire claimed 490 lives, but the tragic incident served as a catalyst for several important medical advances. Her grandfather, Frank Shapiro, was at a nearby theater with his wife the night of Nov. 28, 1942, when a blaze tore through the swanky Cocoanut Grove nightclub, killing 492 people. Some escaped untouched Last Dance at the The Cocoanut Grove was T one of the most popular nightspots in Boston, Massachusetts before and during World War II. In minutes, the Cocoanut Grove was an inferno from one end to the other. Piedmont Street was a narrow cobblestoned street (now paved) located near the Park Square theater district, running from Arlington Street to Broadway.The Cocoanut Grove had been very popular in the late 1920’s, due to Prohibiti… 2018 BFD Department Orders & Engine 46 Hose Wagon & Members, circa 1918. 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. For all its good, though, the lessons of Cocoanut Grove have not prevented other fire tragedies, too numerous to list. Bodies piled high behind the main exit, revolving doors, and some were killed before they could react from toxic gases. That night, 492 people died. At the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire of 1942 in Boston, 492 people died in a matter of minutes. BFD Department General Orders – 2016 & 2017, Apparatus Photos: E10, E50, L1, L2, L18, L19, Spare #247, Maverick Engine 9, Updated BFD Fire Fighting Force Personnel Listings. Site Design by. Special Cocoanut Grove Section containing documents & historical information. Cocoanut Grove was a hugely popular nightspot in Boston. The Cocoanut Grove fire occured on November 28, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts. This led to the city-wide emergency simulation, the week before the Cocoanut Grove fire took place, which simulated a large-scale Blitz-type event. Lieutenant Frank Linney (James Hansen Prince), an inspector for the fire department had inspected the Cocoanut Grove just eight days before the fire and yet, not only were decorations not fireproof, they were highly inflammable. The fire was the product of a hardened entrepreneur’s greed—but for years, a young bus boy would bear the blame. BOSTON -- Even though Boston’s Cocoanut Grove fire happened long before she was born, Michele Shapiro learned all about the disaster when she was a girl. By the time of the fire, The Cocoanut Grove was a Boston institution. Boston: NFPA Journal, May/June, 2000. Downstairs in the Melody Lounge a young couple looking for a moment’s privacy unscrewed the light bulb over their booth. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2005. New York: Atheneum, 1984. Vahey, John P. Design for Disaster. Angelo Lippi, the maitre d' of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, poses in the main dining room sometime before the devastating fire. We may never know what caused the Cocoanut Grove fire. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1957. 492 people were killed, making it the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. History. Victims of the Cocoanut Grove night club fire in Boston, many burned almost beyond recognition, are attended by nurses in the Boston City Hospital, Nov. 30, 1942 Treating the burned Sadly, the urgency to prevent a reoccurrence diminishes over time, and the Cocoanut Grove fire once again underscored the importance of adopting and enforcing code requirements for fire life safety in buildings. Fire in Boston’s Cocoanut Grove: Holocaust! This promo discusses an HBO documentary hosted by Eric Severaid. We look back at personal stories of those who were at The Grove that night: the patron, the employee, the firefighter, the serviceman, and the doctor. Group Photos; Reunion Booklets; Fire Societies; Boston Protective Dept. :Boston: Branden Press, 1967. In Boston, the Cocoanut Grove is etched forever in history as a city's worst nightmare, with piercing screams, wild-eyed panic, and terrible heartbreak. The Cocoanut Grove first opened its doors to the public in 1927. On November 28, 1942, the Cocoanut Grove fire killed 492 people in Boston, MA. Its ferocity and death count proved a defining moment in safety legislation, leading to … BOSTON (AP) — Even though Boston’s Cocoanut Grove fire happened long before she was born, Michele Shapiro learned all about the disaster when she was a girl. Her grandfather, Frank Shapiro, was at a nearby theater with his wife the night of Nov. 28, 1942, when a blaze tore through the swanky Cocoanut Grove nightclub, killing 492 people. Benzaquin, Paul. Beller, Doug and Sapochetti, Jennifer. In 1942, tragedy struck when a fire broke out at 10:00 pm, killing 492 people and injuring 130 more. (via http://Leaps.org) Beverly, MA: Commonwealth Editions, 2005. Today, the Cocoanut Grove fire remains, by far, the deadliest disaster of its kind in history. Firefighters had the fire out in a little over an hour, but the horror was just beginning to dawn. Boston: NFPA Journal, May/June, 1991. Our vision: We are the leading global advocate for the elimination of death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. ; Fire Alarm Maps. The Cocoanut Grove Fire, November 28th, 1942. Almost 35 years after the Boston tragedy, a fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in northern Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, killed 165 people. On the evening of November 28, 1942, a massive fire broke out in a popular Boston nightclub known as the Cocoanut Grove. It was initially owned by two orchestra leaders, Mickey Alpert and Jacques Renard, … The fire reportedly started when a teenage busboy lit a match to see a light socket and replace a burned-out bulb in an artificial palm tree. The shocking story of the Boston Cocoanut Grove fire. His report gave new meaning to “cursory inspection.” The entire report took only one page. Dec 7, 2016 - Explore David Lapa's board "Boston Cocoanut Grove Fire" on Pinterest. Keyes, Edward. 492 dead after the ceiling was ignited at the overcrowded Boston club. All of the protective fire laws in public buildings - Exit signs, crash bars, emergency lighting, sprinklers, occupancy limits and nonflammable materials - were not established until after one of the worst fires in America at the posh Boston nightclub, Cocoanut Grove. (Courtesy of National Fire Protection Association) Saturday, November 28, 1942, at the U.S. Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts, had been, for the most part, a relatively uneventful day. This photo was taken within half an hour before the tragic Cocoanut Grove fire. Benzaquin, Paul. Report concerning the Cocoanut Grove Fire, November 28, 1942. See more ideas about coconut grove fire, coconut grove, grove. Some think it spread so quickly because of a mystery gas, perhaps a substitute for Freon, scarce because of the war. Exit doors were locked to stop patrons from skipping out on their bills. Revere Hotel Tim Brett hosted several survivors of the Cocoanut Grove fire including Marshall Cole, shown in these photos that were taken by Bill Brett. With 1,000 patrons, the club was 25 percent beyond capacity. Cocoanut Grove. Holocaust! 492 people were killed, making it the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. History. The club was filled beyond capacity that night; though the building's capacity was supposed to be 460 people, it is estimated that over 1000 people were in attendance. Nov 27, 2020 - Explore Richard Gilberti's board "Cocoanut Grove Fire 1942" on Pinterest. Cocoanut Grove Fire, November 28, 1942. The deadliest nightclub fire in history. Today, the Grove still exists, though only as a piece of history—a poignant niche carved into the edifice of time. The club was filled beyond capacity that night; though the building's capacity was supposed to be 460 people, it is estimated that over 1000 people were in attendance. Lieutenant Frank Linney, an inspector for the fire department had inspected the Cocoanut Grove just eight days before the fire. Reilly, William Arthur, Boston Fire Commissioner. In the 1930s and 1940s, the Cocoanut Grove was one of Boston's most well-known nightclubs. After the Cocoanut Grove fire, the NFPA Building Exits Code was adopted in many jurisdictions in reaction to the horrific fire and tragic loss of life. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Military assistance in the aftermath of the. The raging fire started in the basement of the restaurant late on Saturday, Nov. 28, 1942, and quickly spread throughout the structure at 17 Piedmont St., which is now the site of the Revere Hotel. Discusses an HBO documentary hosted by Eric Severaid out at 10:00 pm, killing 492 were! Double its capacity documents & historical information dec 7, 2016 - Explore Richard Gilberti 's board `` Grove. 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