This Day In History

In 1942, a fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston killed 491 people. Most victims suffocated or were trampled to death.

Many of the modern fire safety codes are the direct result of lessons learned in this fire.

Most Bostonians knew someone who was there or was supposed to be there because it was such a wildly popular place. My uncle, a Marine home on leave, was killed in the fire after making sure his party was safely outside and going back in. I have passed down this story to my children, nieces and nephews. I try to point out when we are near revolving doors that the regular doors flanking them are the result of a tragic lesson learned that night.