This is so nauseating for me to watch. I learned this week on the 80th anniversary we lost my father's great aunt Sadie in this fire. His grandfather's brother Ben survived. They were out with Sadie's sister and her husband, Addie and Ted who also perished. The three are buried together in West Roxbury. Your very thorough coverage is important to our family. Thank you. May they Rest in Peace.
My uncle was a Boston fire fighter who responded to the fire. He had numerous books about it and studied all the reports to see something like this would never happen again. He later became a Fire Chief! Good man!
I live in Boston, and because of this, the city as a whole still takes fire safety *incredibly* seriously, above and beyond the legal requirements. In a lot of places in the US, violating fire code gets you a warning to correct it before the fire marshall comes back to check, but in Boston, they often shut the venue down entirely until it's fixed.
@@coreynorth4587 Within 10 days of the Station fire, there was a virtually identical fire at The Fine Line nightclub in Minneapolis. The ceiling ignited (also due to pyrotechnics). The reason you've never heard of it is that Minneapolis requires sprinklers for any venue that holds 200 or more people. The sprinklers came on, extinguished the fire, and no one in the club was killed or even injured. The Fine Line Music Cafe is still in operation all these years later. Sometimes municipalities DO learn.
even with strict fire codes, things slip through thanks to illicit activities and shady people…2007 two firefighters were lost due to an illegal ventilation setup and in 2014 two were killed due to workmen using blowtorches started a fire.
@@bostonrailfan2427 the Station Nightclub didn't have to adhere to fire codes like sprinklers because the building was old enough to be "grandfathered"
Always take a second to check where the exits are. If it's a nightclub or other crowded venue, remember that exits through less-used areas (staff areas, kitchen areas, etc.) are often easier to get out of if there is a fire or other emergency. Most people will blindly move toward the way they entered so there is often a crush of people at main entrances.
Someone once told me that go through the kitchen is a safe bet, because there will always be an exit to the loading dock where they deliver produce/meat (no one wants to walk farther than absolutely necessary). I've found this to be true.
But what if some of the exits are locked or blocked, as some have been proven to be? All the fire safety laws in the world don't matter if they aren't enforced, and those responsible given severe penalties.
Year ago I remember reading about this fire. In particular there was one man who had horrific facial burns. It was so bad that he wore a mask whenever he was outside his home and carried cards that he would hand out to people who stared at him. They said 'I was burnt in the Coconut Grove fire'. I always wonder what happened to him. Such a terrible tragedy.
My grandmother used to operate on such men, particularly pilots who’d had their faces burned off. There was a chance he got reconstructive surgery at some point, although even now it’s somewhat primitive, and his features would’ve been odd. There was also a craftsman that created various masks for such victims who didn’t want the surgery -he may have patronized such a place.
I learned about this in law school, when they used Welansky's case to teach us about involuntary manslaughter. I went to school in Boston, so I went and checked out the site myself. Bay Village is such a lovely, quiet little neighborhood, it was hard to imagine there ever being either an active nightclub or devastating inferno.
the neighborhood lost half of its size, it used to be like other neighborhoods before the highway was cut through it…only the oldest buildings remain, including the old fire station
If I might make a suggestion. In the 1950s there was a terrible school fire in Chicago at the Our Lady of Angels catholic school. My father was a boy at the time, growing up in Chicago, and though he didn't attend that school, he has memories of it happening and how it suddenly changed everything for all of Chicago's schools and fire safety.
@@jennzifur Indeed, it's why it was on my mind. There's some great resources out there for it. The OLA School Fire webpage, a bit antique but still there. And a book 'Angels Too Soon', which I found on Audible of all places.
I went to Catholic grade school in the 1960's. The nuns would talk about this (and the Coconut Grove fire as well - strange stuff to tell kids). One of the unfortunate things about the aftermath is that children were told they weren't as good as the children who died. God wanted them, and let them die in the fire. Not only was it a terrible thing to say on it's own, it also caused survivors to feel they were bad or unworthy of being with God.
@@calendarpage ; I was taught by nuns in Catholic school in Detroit in the late 60’s and 70’s and as indoctrinated and guilt driven as they were, no nun I ever met would have said anything so cruel to a child.
Apparently, not everyone learned the lessons that this horrific event taught. Next year will be the 20th anniversary of the Station Nightclub fire in the state of Rhode Island. Many of the conditions there were similar to the Coconaut Grove, poorly defined exits, lack of sprinklers, and especially, the wrong stage pyrotechnics. One hundred patrons died in the crush. May all who perish in these senseless tragedies rest in peace.
Locked and blocked fire exits is a problem that keeps coming up, sadly. In my old job (the theatre) here London in the UK, we were paranoid about fire and fire precautions, and we had very strict regs which we faithfully stuck to in every way. We were very restricted on the materials we could use and how we could use them, even had to have a qualified London firefighter on duty whenever there was an audience in the building. And theatres had an excellent safety record in terms of fire. But nightclubs and other buildings ran under far laxer regs, and in some places seemed to be able to get away with anything, despite an equal or greater density of people, in the case of nightclubs far less illumination, and several tragedies even in fairly recent years.
I grew up in this town and was 12 when the fire happened. The building had been grandfathered so didn't have sprinkler systems. The sound proofing caught fire after the pyrotechnics went off. A friend lost his dad and another his mom.
At 4:47, the usual blame for the fire is the busboy who lit the match near an artificial palm tree. But the lit match did NOT start the fire. Coincidently, a fire had already begun behind the false wall behind the palm tree. The fire was caused by a short-circuit. The busboy was later cleared of starting the fire.
My Grandmother was born in 1898 in Worcester. She and my Grandfather did sometimes treat themselves to a night out. During War times what with rationing, everyone was careful with money and having gotten through the Great Depression they were thrifty. My Grandpa was too old to enlist which is why they were home. It was merely luck they did not go as this was very close to her birthday and they loved to dance to live music. They did lose some friends from Malden & Cambridge. You might say they had a bit of ptsd because after this they Rarely went to any indoor affair and if they did they sat as close to a working door as possible. I also lost a Great Uncle attending a show at the Knickerbocker. My Mom refused to let me go to the movies when it snowed lest the weight of the snow caved in a flat roof. As a teen I thought it was ridiculous, but later understood her fear of snow on roofs.
two minor corrections: the Coconut Grove Lane cuts through the original property, with the part on the left being condominiums now while the rest is a garage/car park along with the hotel… the tragedy caused the immediate closure if two historic theatres resulting in the gutting of one to allow the second to survive. the gutted theatre was the birthplace of Vaudeville, sadly it’s all but forgotten with only the space where its entrance once was remaining
Know this story well. Between spending 27yrs service as a Firefighter/EMS First Responder and studying the Coconut Grove fire in college (earning Fire Science Engineering and Technology degree)...a lot of changes afterwards.
@@elizabethsohler6516 I'm not sure about that, but I appreciate your saying it!! Thank you. I was taught by Christian, Blue Colar, hard working and loving parents to give back to our fellow humans ...so I learned from two of the wisest parents of them all.
This video reminded me of the D.C. Potomac river plane crash on January 13 1982. I lived in Alexandria at that time. The wings of the plane needed deicing, but this was ignored. 30 seconds after take off, it skipped over the 14th street bridge. The plane's roof was sheared back by the river's ice sheet as it broke through and sank. A few passengers swam up through the peeled off roof. The loss of life was 78, 4 motorists on the bridge and 73 on the plane. Only 6 survived.
Eerily reminds me of the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire of 1977. That building had no sprinklers or clearly visible exit signs. That building was made out of flame resistant materials, but also heavily decorated with flammable decorations.
How horrific, so many tragedies such as this have occurred over the years, the summerland fire 1973, The Kingscross fire 20-30 years later, the Bradford City football fire, and, fairly recently, The Grenfell tower fire. It all amounts to the same thing, lives must be lost before action is taken to avoid recurrence but what a dreadful price to have to pay. Ironically, mr Johnson passed away the day before I was born, RIP sir
Apparently Fire inspectors didn't learn much-nationwide-from the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. Or the Iroquois Theater fire. Poor Clifford Johnson, his heroic, chivalrous attempt to locate the woman he brought to the Coconut Grove was rewarded by the universe with another horrendous fire, the second one fatal. 😞
I think the problem lies less in what they learned and more in greed and corruption. Installing fire prevention like sprinklers is so _expensive,_ you know... /s
"If" is a very big world in sad cases like this one..... IF that customer hadn't removed the light bulb, the waiter wouldn't have used a match whilst trying to refit it. However, it was clearly a disaster waiting to happen.....sooner or later. RIP to all those who died.🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀
492 when all was finally tabulated; some died of burns or smoke inhalation in the hospital during the immediate days and weeks after. The fire itself did its damage about as efficiently as possible though - it was extinguished in less than half an hour after it began.
Thanks for reviving this infamous tragedy. For them to blame a bus boy is incredulous since everyone smoked back then. Just a matter of time in that consideration. The electricity was faulty, and all the décor just added to the kindling. Maximum occupancy laws might have been beneficial for more to survive. With so many of these large crowd tragedies, I personally limit visiting such venues and events.
I read about the electrical problems too, in quite a technical report on the web, not sure where I found it now, but it ought to be findable. I think it's more than possible that the lad was scapegoated.
I've been morbidly obsessed with this story since I was a kid. Back in the '80s HBO had a series called Remember When, and they did an episode about this tragedy. That was the first time I had heard about it and I've been obsessed ever since.
Ooo - yet more excellence from this brilliant channel. You're a star. By the way, Paul, if you see this - attractive accent; some Scotch element? (You've got flawless diction, naturally enunciating consonants accurately). Because of your measured narration I've now binge-watched your splendid videos, having just discovered you. Great research, careful presentation, and accomplished use of language. Boo to Yankee sensationalism; go Well, I Never!
Oh my lord! I’ve never heard of this horrible fire and loss of life! I can’t imagine the fear everyone felt. May all those who perished Rest In Peace. Thank you Paul for sharing this with us. I always try to remind my friends and family to be sure you tell your loved ones how much you love them & give them hugs and kisses before they walk out the door. Blessings to you Paul & your family and staff! ❤️✝️
When I was a child I met a couple who were in the fire. The rescuers thought that he was dead and he woke up in a makeshift morgue with a sheet over him. He really freaked out some people when he sat up and said what the hell! Can you imagine that, creepy!!
My father was a huge fan of Buck Jones. He was a young teen at the time of this fire, and remembered being devastated at the death of one of his movie heroes. 😢
I can't believe the number of people involved! What an absolute horror. It's as if the building was designed to be a total death trap with a naked flame.
Between this, the Southgate, Kentucky fire, and the Station fire, I’ve learned to always know where the exits are. What a tragic and unnecessary loss of life.
And to think the Southgate fire, aka the Beverly Hills Club fire, happened about 35 1/2 years after this (it's the 3rd worse U.S. club fire), and the previous worse before the CG fire, the Happy Land Club fire, happened 2 years before CG. All of them (the Station fire included) are in the 5 worse/deadliest club fires in the U.S. And most of the deaths in all of them, and many others (ie the Study Club fire, a club fire in NY during the late 90's, etc.), seems to happen for a lot of the same reasons.
My grandparents were planning to go to the Grove that night, but their college football team lost the game that day and decided to give it a miss. I wouldn't be here today if they had gone.
As a lifelong resident of Greater Boston I’ve read a lot and heard lots of stories about this horrible tragedy. I must say your telling of the story was concise and well told. There is a big to-do about what caused the fire. The cause now is being re-studied and the gas in the kitchen was probably the cause. It was not poor Stanley. He lived the rest of his life in such despair that he COULD have been the cause. He was harassed the rest of his life. Thank you for such good reporting on this. There have been other terrible fires here but this one will stay with us as the worse.
Unfortunately, despite all the emergency procedures and what not, night club fires still do happen. The Station Nightclub fire is first to pop into mind, but there were 4 that occurred this last year. Always note where the exits are when you go to a nightclub! Those places can be deathtraps,
I vaguely remember hearing about this. It is always seems to be a case that profit is more important than safety. Patrons die because the owners don’t want anyone skipping out without paying. Excellent presentation as always, I do love listening to your voice as well as the care you take with these cases.
At 6:22, it doesn't escape my ironic soul that there's a photo of a fireman with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Excellent presentation of the story though.
The reminds me of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York city as the exits were locked because owners wanted profits over the workers taking breaks.
Your an amazing story teller my friend. This happened before my time but close to home. Things have come a long way. Yet the station night club fire shows we have a long way to go....peace💜
Within 10 days of The Station fire, a virtually identical fire broke out at The Fine Line in Minneapolis (ceiling ignited by pyrotechnics). The reason you've never heard of it is that Minneapolis requires sprinklers in such venues. The sprinklers came on, extinguished the fire, and no one was killed or even injured. The club remains in operation today. It's up to the municipality--some of them are capable of learning from experience.
3:20 It's still one of the worst home losses in Boston College history, but not *the* worst: just three years later, Holly Cross throttled BC, 46-0, at Fenway Park.
I’ve had to read the oh&s for different jobs. ( occupational health and safety) and it’s sad knowing most of the rules if not all stem from people being severely injured or dying. Too bad it takes tragedy for good changes to be made for safety.
Consisting of a warren of interconnected buildings, a basement lounge filled beyond capacity with a single stairway exit, unmarked and/or locked emergency exits, highly flammable decorations and a single revolving main door exit, the Coconut Grove was a tragedy waiting to happen. I can only imagine how that poor young waiter felt when the newspapers the next day placed the deaths of almost 500 individuals at his feet! Perhaps because it occurred during the horrors of WWII, it seems to get forgotten amongst a half decade of immense death and destruction. It also eerily foreshadows the 1977 'Beverly Hills Supperclub' fire and the 2003 'Station' nightclub fire.
What an awful tragedy. The only good that came of it was the fire safety improvements and better burns treatment. At least we learned from it. Poor Clifford though 😔 His story was so sad.
(As usual, but even more so..) a great video. And most educational too. Despite all the emergency exits and other safeguards, the stampede collective behavior of a bunch of people stays the main cause of casualties in such horrible circumstances..,. 😢
My mother's sisters used to go to the Coconut Grove all the time, apparently there was a medical emergency and they had to stay home and that saved their lives.
Fascinating Horror did a video on this as well. They put a lot of research into their videos like you do. I watches their video awhile ago so watch this one reminded me. On a side note have you or would you do a video on ether the Radium Girls or the Matchstick making girls?
I'd heard of this terrible occurrence but first time hearing the details. One minute everyone's having a good time then BAM! Disaster. Kindest thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families.
@@elvenkind6072 interesting that you think there's a typo in the title....the street sign in the video clearly indicates that it is indeed spelled cocoanut street....so no typo in the title
@@elvenkind6072 You're wrong , they're right. Anyone who reads old recipe books knows that 'cocoanut' is how the word was commonly spelled back in the day. When correcting others, it helps to know what you're talking about.
@@ShadowWizard123 Oh, OK, then I have to apologize, I thought you meant to be rude. Also English is not my first language. Sorry again, and have a great weekend! 🙂
This was really sad😢 but just like you said ..sometimes unfortunate things happen and only then things will be done better tin order to guarantee safety
I just recently found out that my I believe either great grade or great great great aunt was a survivor of this fire she just passed away recently I wish I had a chance to meet her she seemed like a incredible woman
ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE FIRE EXIT WHEN ENTERING AN ESTABLISMENT OF ANY KIND...YEARS AGO IN MY YOUTHFUL DAYS LOVED TO GO OUT CLUBBING. WENT TO A CLUB WITH ONLY ONE ENTRANCE IN, WHILST STANDING THERE LOOKING AROUND I LOOKED FOR AN EXIT SHOULD A FIRE OR SOMETHING UNTOWARDS SHOULD HAPPEN.. THERE WAS NOTHING. MADE A PROMISE TO MYSELF. NEVER AGAIN!!!
I am horrified, but things don't change..... More harn done by good people doing northing, than bad people doing harm. No one wants to be involved. Now. We just walk by....Sad, but true.
You know you're in an old commercial building when the door opens inwardly. This disaster probably has resulted in saving countless lives because of the new building codes.
This is so nauseating for me to watch. I learned this week on the 80th anniversary we lost my father's great aunt Sadie in this fire. His grandfather's brother Ben survived. They were out with Sadie's sister and her husband, Addie and Ted who also perished. The three are buried together in West Roxbury. Your very thorough coverage is important to our family. Thank you. May they Rest in Peace.
I'm so sorry for your family's loss.
🙏🏼🕊️🌹🌹🌹
Oh no
I'm sorry to hear that
I'm a urn victim
It hurts
@@lindaarrington9397 You’re a survivor! So glad you did. Hang in there. ❤️
My uncle was a Boston fire fighter who responded to the fire. He had numerous books about it and studied all the reports to see something like this would never happen again. He later became a Fire Chief! Good man!
I live in Boston, and because of this, the city as a whole still takes fire safety *incredibly* seriously, above and beyond the legal requirements. In a lot of places in the US, violating fire code gets you a warning to correct it before the fire marshall comes back to check, but in Boston, they often shut the venue down entirely until it's fixed.
It s too bad that West Warwick RI didn’t learn from this tragedy
@@coreynorth4587 Within 10 days of the Station fire, there was a virtually identical fire at The Fine Line nightclub in Minneapolis. The ceiling ignited (also due to pyrotechnics). The reason you've never heard of it is that Minneapolis requires sprinklers for any venue that holds 200 or more people. The sprinklers came on, extinguished the fire, and no one in the club was killed or even injured. The Fine Line Music Cafe is still in operation all these years later. Sometimes municipalities DO learn.
even with strict fire codes, things slip through thanks to illicit activities and shady people…2007 two firefighters were lost due to an illegal ventilation setup and in 2014 two were killed due to workmen using blowtorches started a fire.
@@bostonrailfan2427 the Station Nightclub didn't have to adhere to fire codes like sprinklers because the building was old enough to be "grandfathered"
@@aedansilva1114 and because of that the grandfathering was revoked but it still happens despite that
Always take a second to check where the exits are. If it's a nightclub or other crowded venue, remember that exits through less-used areas (staff areas, kitchen areas, etc.) are often easier to get out of if there is a fire or other emergency. Most people will blindly move toward the way they entered so there is often a crush of people at main entrances.
Someone once told me that go through the kitchen is a safe bet, because there will always be an exit to the loading dock where they deliver produce/meat (no one wants to walk farther than absolutely necessary). I've found this to be true.
But what if some of the exits are locked or blocked, as some have been proven to be? All the fire safety laws in the world don't matter if they aren't enforced, and those responsible given severe penalties.
@@su-rv2uq I agree absolutely. Just giving tips for people to possibly being crushed against the main exit which sometimes happens.
The tragedy within the tragedy was heartbreaking! Surviving such horrible burns only to die when his vehicle crashed and went up in flames...
Year ago I remember reading about this fire. In particular there was one man who had horrific facial burns. It was so bad that he wore a mask whenever he was outside his home and carried cards that he would hand out to people who stared at him. They said 'I was burnt in the Coconut Grove fire'. I always wonder what happened to him. Such a terrible tragedy.
My grandmother used to operate on such men, particularly pilots who’d had their faces burned off. There was a chance he got reconstructive surgery at some point, although even now it’s somewhat primitive, and his features would’ve been odd. There was also a craftsman that created various masks for such victims who didn’t want the surgery -he may have patronized such a place.
I learned about this in law school, when they used Welansky's case to teach us about involuntary manslaughter. I went to school in Boston, so I went and checked out the site myself. Bay Village is such a lovely, quiet little neighborhood, it was hard to imagine there ever being either an active nightclub or devastating inferno.
That must have been a powerful moment knowing what had happened there. Thank you for your comment!
the neighborhood lost half of its size, it used to be like other neighborhoods before the highway was cut through it…only the oldest buildings remain, including the old fire station
If I might make a suggestion. In the 1950s there was a terrible school fire in Chicago at the Our Lady of Angels catholic school. My father was a boy at the time, growing up in Chicago, and though he didn't attend that school, he has memories of it happening and how it suddenly changed everything for all of Chicago's schools and fire safety.
Yes. Yesterday was the 64th anniversary of the fire (12/1/58).
@@jennzifur Indeed, it's why it was on my mind. There's some great resources out there for it. The OLA School Fire webpage, a bit antique but still there. And a book 'Angels Too Soon', which I found on Audible of all places.
@@faultypremise Another excellent book is To Sleep with the Angels.
I went to Catholic grade school in the 1960's. The nuns would talk about this (and the Coconut Grove fire as well - strange stuff to tell kids). One of the unfortunate things about the aftermath is that children were told they weren't as good as the children who died. God wanted them, and let them die in the fire. Not only was it a terrible thing to say on it's own, it also caused survivors to feel they were bad or unworthy of being with God.
@@calendarpage ; I was taught by nuns in Catholic school in Detroit in the late 60’s and 70’s and as indoctrinated and guilt driven as they were, no nun I ever met would have said anything so cruel to a child.
Apparently, not everyone learned the lessons that this horrific event taught. Next year will be the 20th anniversary of the Station Nightclub fire in the state of Rhode Island. Many of the conditions there were similar to the Coconaut Grove, poorly defined exits, lack of sprinklers, and especially, the wrong stage pyrotechnics. One hundred patrons died in the crush.
May all who perish in these senseless tragedies rest in peace.
Locked and blocked fire exits is a problem that keeps coming up, sadly. In my old job (the theatre) here London in the UK, we were paranoid about fire and fire precautions, and we had very strict regs which we faithfully stuck to in every way. We were very restricted on the materials we could use and how we could use them, even had to have a qualified London firefighter on duty whenever there was an audience in the building. And theatres had an excellent safety record in terms of fire. But nightclubs and other buildings ran under far laxer regs, and in some places seemed to be able to get away with anything, despite an equal or greater density of people, in the case of nightclubs far less illumination, and several tragedies even in fairly recent years.
I grew up in this town and was 12 when the fire happened. The building had been grandfathered so didn't have sprinkler systems. The sound proofing caught fire after the pyrotechnics went off. A friend lost his dad and another his mom.
At 4:47, the usual blame for the fire is the busboy who lit the match near an artificial palm tree. But the lit match did NOT start the fire. Coincidently, a fire had already begun behind the false wall behind the palm tree. The fire was caused by a short-circuit. The busboy was later cleared of starting the fire.
My Grandmother was born in 1898 in Worcester. She and my Grandfather did sometimes treat themselves to a night out. During War times what with rationing, everyone was careful with money and having gotten through the Great Depression they were thrifty. My Grandpa was too old to enlist which is why they were home. It was merely luck they did not go as this was very close to her birthday and they loved to dance to live music. They did lose some friends from Malden & Cambridge. You might say they had a bit of ptsd because after this they Rarely went to any indoor affair and if they did they sat as close to a working door as possible. I also lost a Great Uncle attending a show at the Knickerbocker. My Mom refused to let me go to the movies when it snowed lest the weight of the snow caved in a flat roof. As a teen I thought it was ridiculous, but later understood her fear of snow on roofs.
Such a terrible tragedy. The good news is that the event led to many safety and health improvements.
Very true
Loss of life is usually the reason for safety regulations, unfortunately!!!🙏😢❣️
Safety regulations are written in blood, sadly
two minor corrections: the Coconut Grove Lane cuts through the original property, with the part on the left being condominiums now while the rest is a garage/car park along with the hotel…
the tragedy caused the immediate closure if two historic theatres resulting in the gutting of one to allow the second to survive. the gutted theatre was the birthplace of Vaudeville, sadly it’s all but forgotten with only the space where its entrance once was remaining
Know this story well. Between spending 27yrs service as a Firefighter/EMS First Responder and studying the Coconut Grove fire in college (earning Fire Science Engineering and Technology degree)...a lot of changes afterwards.
You're doing God's work.
@@elizabethsohler6516 I'm not sure about that, but I appreciate your saying it!! Thank you.
I was taught by Christian, Blue Colar, hard working and loving parents to give back to our fellow humans ...so I learned from two of the wisest parents of them all.
This video reminded me of the D.C. Potomac river plane crash on January 13 1982. I lived in Alexandria at that time. The wings of the plane needed deicing, but this was ignored. 30 seconds after take off, it skipped over the 14th street bridge. The plane's roof was sheared back by the river's ice sheet as it broke through and sank. A few passengers swam up through the peeled off roof. The loss of life was 78, 4 motorists on the bridge and 73 on the plane. Only 6 survived.
It's so scary thinking about what those poor victims went through. Thank you for covering it in your normal respectiful and brilliant way.
This is the leisure version of the Triangle Shirt Factory Fire: lots of flammable materials and locked, blocked or restricted exits.
Eerily reminds me of the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire of 1977. That building had no sprinklers or clearly visible exit signs. That building was made out of flame resistant materials, but also heavily decorated with flammable decorations.
I sit here stunned at how fast people died...some with drinks still in their hands . My heart hurts for all who were in there . Such a sad tragedy. 😔
How horrific, so many tragedies such as this have occurred over the years, the summerland fire 1973, The Kingscross fire 20-30 years later, the Bradford City football fire, and, fairly recently, The Grenfell tower fire. It all amounts to the same thing, lives must be lost before action is taken to avoid recurrence but what a dreadful price to have to pay. Ironically, mr Johnson passed away the day before I was born, RIP sir
Apparently Fire inspectors didn't learn much-nationwide-from the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. Or the Iroquois Theater fire. Poor Clifford Johnson, his heroic, chivalrous attempt to locate the woman he brought to the Coconut Grove was rewarded by the universe with another horrendous fire, the second one fatal. 😞
I think the problem lies less in what they learned and more in greed and corruption. Installing fire prevention like sprinklers is so _expensive,_ you know... /s
"If" is a very big world in sad cases like this one.....
IF that customer hadn't removed the light bulb, the waiter wouldn't have used a match whilst trying to refit it.
However, it was clearly a disaster waiting to happen.....sooner or later. RIP to all those who died.🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀
Gentle and clear coverage of an horrific event. Thank you Paul & team.
Over 490 people died in that place? My God, RIP to all of them. Can't imagine how bad it was.
And 166 people were injured.
492 when all was finally tabulated; some died of burns or smoke inhalation in the hospital during the immediate days and weeks after. The fire itself did its damage about as efficiently as possible though - it was extinguished in less than half an hour after it began.
So tragic. May all the victims RIP.
No one is trained to rescue burned bodies of this amount. How awful, memories to haunt them forever. RIP to these people 😔❤️
Thanks for reviving this infamous tragedy. For them to blame a bus boy is incredulous since everyone smoked back then. Just a matter of time in that consideration. The electricity was faulty, and all the décor just added to the kindling. Maximum occupancy laws might have been beneficial for more to survive. With so many of these large crowd tragedies, I personally limit visiting such venues and events.
Anywhere with booze and crowds, I avoid.
I read about the electrical problems too, in quite a technical report on the web, not sure where I found it now, but it ought to be findable. I think it's more than possible that the lad was scapegoated.
THE REASON YOU HAVE OCCUPANCY LAWS WERE ON ACCOUNT OF THE COCONUT GROVE
I've been morbidly obsessed with this story since I was a kid. Back in the '80s HBO had a series called Remember When, and they did an episode about this tragedy. That was the first time I had heard about it and I've been obsessed ever since.
The fear those poor souls must have felt in their final moments is beyond comprehension. May every one of them rest in peace.
Ooo - yet more excellence from this brilliant channel. You're a star. By the way, Paul, if you see this - attractive accent; some Scotch element? (You've got flawless diction, naturally enunciating consonants accurately). Because of your measured narration I've now binge-watched your splendid videos, having just discovered you. Great research, careful presentation, and accomplished use of language. Boo to Yankee sensationalism; go Well, I Never!
Oh my lord! I’ve never heard of this horrible fire and loss of life! I can’t imagine the fear everyone felt. May all those who perished Rest In Peace. Thank you Paul for sharing this with us. I always try to remind my friends and family to be sure you tell your loved ones how much you love them & give them hugs and kisses before they walk out the door. Blessings to you Paul & your family and staff! ❤️✝️
When I was a child I met a couple who were in the fire. The rescuers thought that he was dead and he woke up in a makeshift morgue with a sheet over him. He really freaked out some people when he sat up and said what the hell! Can you imagine that, creepy!!
Absolutely fascinating account of this tragedy. February of 2003 saw 100 souls lost in The Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island.
My father was a huge fan of Buck Jones. He was a young teen at the time of this fire, and remembered being devastated at the death of one of his movie heroes. 😢
I can't believe the number of people involved! What an absolute horror. It's as if the building was designed to be a total death trap with a naked flame.
Between this, the Southgate, Kentucky fire, and the Station fire, I’ve learned to always know where the exits are. What a tragic and unnecessary loss of life.
And to think the Southgate fire, aka the Beverly Hills Club fire, happened about 35 1/2 years after this (it's the 3rd worse U.S. club fire), and the previous worse before the CG fire, the Happy Land Club fire, happened 2 years before CG. All of them (the Station fire included) are in the 5 worse/deadliest club fires in the U.S. And most of the deaths in all of them, and many others (ie the Study Club fire, a club fire in NY during the late 90's, etc.), seems to happen for a lot of the same reasons.
My grandparents were planning to go to the Grove that night, but their college football team lost the game that day and decided to give it a miss. I wouldn't be here today if they had gone.
As a lifelong resident of Greater Boston I’ve read a lot and heard lots of stories about this horrible tragedy. I must say your telling of the story was concise and well told. There is a big to-do about what caused the fire. The cause now is being re-studied and the gas in the kitchen was probably the cause. It was not poor Stanley. He lived the rest of his life in such despair that he COULD have been the cause. He was harassed the rest of his life. Thank you for such good reporting on this. There have been other terrible fires here but this one will stay with us as the worse.
As soon as he said the survivor got a job as a fuel
truck driver I knew exactly where the story was going, how sad.
Poor Clifford!🥺That poor man was cursed!😔
it's hard for me to pay attention but you really make it easy to understand, thank you!!!!
Unfortunately, despite all the emergency procedures and what not, night club fires still do happen. The Station Nightclub fire is first to pop into mind, but there were 4 that occurred this last year. Always note where the exits are when you go to a nightclub! Those places can be deathtraps,
Given that there were over a thousand customers in the place, plus staff, it's amazing that the death toll wasn't even higher.
I vaguely remember hearing about this. It is always seems to be a case that profit is more important than safety. Patrons die because the owners don’t want anyone skipping out without paying. Excellent presentation as always, I do love listening to your voice as well as the care you take with these cases.
HORRIFIC!! Just another reason why I despise CROWDS, you never know what someone will do!
I grew up in West Warwick Rhode Island. Nightclub fires hit particularly close to home
Such a heart breaking story for all involved. The pain of being a burn victim is like no other. RIP to all that perished.
Hello Paul you and your crew Always make sure your fans are never bord I enjoy your context keep up the sensational job
Thank you! We're super grateful that people enjoy watching the videos we put out. 🙏🙇
@@WellINever I learn so much about these videos interesting facts
At 6:22, it doesn't escape my ironic soul that there's a photo of a fireman with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Excellent presentation of the story though.
The reminds me of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York city as the exits were locked because owners wanted profits over the workers taking breaks.
Very well researched. You avoided several popular though untrue theories. You always present us with fascinating content.
Thank you, Amazing, I'd heard about this, but you did an excellent job explaining it. Sadly, so many lives lost.
No matter how many times I hear this story, it never ceases to shock me. 😢
I love listening to you tell a story. Thank you ❤️
Your an amazing story teller my friend. This happened before my time but close to home. Things have come a long way. Yet the station night club fire shows we have a long way to go....peace💜
Within 10 days of The Station fire, a virtually identical fire broke out at The Fine Line in Minneapolis (ceiling ignited by pyrotechnics). The reason you've never heard of it is that Minneapolis requires sprinklers in such venues. The sprinklers came on, extinguished the fire, and no one was killed or even injured. The club remains in operation today. It's up to the municipality--some of them are capable of learning from experience.
Omg! What a heartbreaking story. The death count is staggering.
This is very interesting and important to talk about
My aunt was a waitress at the Cocoanut Grove during that fire.
3:20 It's still one of the worst home losses in Boston College history, but not *the* worst: just three years later, Holly Cross throttled BC, 46-0, at Fenway Park.
I’ve had to read the oh&s for different jobs. ( occupational health and safety) and it’s sad knowing most of the rules if not all stem from people being severely injured or dying. Too bad it takes tragedy for good changes to be made for safety.
Consisting of a warren of interconnected buildings, a basement lounge filled beyond capacity with a single stairway exit, unmarked and/or locked emergency exits, highly flammable decorations and a single revolving main door exit, the Coconut Grove was a tragedy waiting to happen. I can only imagine how that poor young waiter felt when the newspapers the next day placed the deaths of almost 500 individuals at his feet! Perhaps because it occurred during the horrors of WWII, it seems to get forgotten amongst a half decade of immense death and destruction. It also eerily foreshadows the 1977 'Beverly Hills Supperclub' fire and the 2003 'Station' nightclub fire.
What an awful tragedy. The only good that came of it was the fire safety improvements and better burns treatment. At least we learned from it. Poor Clifford though 😔 His story was so sad.
Thank you.
Another wonderful informative video. Thank you.
(As usual, but even more so..) a great video.
And most educational too.
Despite all the emergency exits and other safeguards, the stampede collective behavior of a bunch of people stays the main cause of casualties in such horrible circumstances..,.
😢
Thanks
Thank you! 🙏😊
I loveeee your videos
Haha, thank you! 🙏
I am from Boston and walked by the site and plaque on the sidewalk every day on my way to work at The Park Plaza. So sad 😢
This is very sad. It reminds me of the story of a circus fire way back when. It, too, brought about new fire safety regulations.
Sometimes it does make you wonder if life is preordained🙏⚘️✨️
6:22 Seeing a firefighter at a disaster with a cigarette in his mouth is really something else! Can't blame him
Awesome video, Very Well done !
Thank you!
Never a wasted time of mine; Thank You dear Sir. 🏆🤓👩🕵😎
Such a sad story 😪 .i love your stories though. Keep them coming .
As someone who lives near Coconut Grove, the Florida Community, it's kinda surreal seeing something with the same name having a horrible history.
My mother's sisters used to go to the Coconut Grove all the time, apparently there was a medical emergency and they had to stay home and that saved their lives.
Thanks that was a horrendous tragedy 😢
Almost 500 died?! Horrible.
It's the kind of death toll you'd normally associate with a plane crash or natural disaster. Such a tragic event 😔.
Fascinating Horror did a video on this as well. They put a lot of research into their videos like you do. I watches their video awhile ago so watch this one reminded me. On a side note have you or would you do a video on ether the Radium Girls or the Matchstick making girls?
A nice warm story on a cold winter's night on the Canadian Prairies...wait a minute...😨😨😨
Oct 1994, the Coconut Grove nightclub in Dundee burns to the ground.
Excellent
I'd heard of this terrible occurrence but first time hearing the details. One minute everyone's having a good time then BAM! Disaster. Kindest thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families.
Interesting that the modern spelling of coconut is different than the mid-20th century spelling.
Interesting that you have to make such a patronizing remark, instead of a friendly reminder that the title got a typo.
@@elvenkind6072 interesting that you think there's a typo in the title....the street sign in the video clearly indicates that it is indeed spelled cocoanut street....so no typo in the title
@@elvenkind6072 it's not a typo. The spelling of the word has literally changed.
@@elvenkind6072 You're wrong , they're right. Anyone who reads old recipe books knows that 'cocoanut' is how the word was commonly spelled back in the day. When correcting others, it helps to know what you're talking about.
@@ShadowWizard123 Oh, OK, then I have to apologize, I thought you meant to be rude. Also English is not my first language.
Sorry again, and have a great weekend! 🙂
This was really sad😢 but just like you said ..sometimes unfortunate things happen and only then things will be done better tin order to guarantee safety
I just recently found out that my I believe either great grade or great great great aunt was a survivor of this fire she just passed away recently I wish I had a chance to meet her she seemed like a incredible woman
One gets the feeling that these videos cause you some distress, you would not be human if they didn't. Take care my friend. Regards.
I was wondering how the fire shot around so quickly. Using flamable gas instead of freon in the ACs 😬
Thank You
Wow I only ever knew of the Triangle fire not this tragedy
ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE FIRE EXIT WHEN ENTERING AN ESTABLISMENT OF ANY KIND...YEARS AGO IN MY YOUTHFUL DAYS LOVED TO GO OUT CLUBBING. WENT TO A CLUB WITH ONLY ONE ENTRANCE IN, WHILST STANDING THERE LOOKING AROUND I LOOKED FOR AN EXIT SHOULD A FIRE OR SOMETHING UNTOWARDS SHOULD HAPPEN.. THERE WAS NOTHING. MADE A PROMISE TO MYSELF. NEVER AGAIN!!!
That is just sickenin
I am horrified, but things don't change..... More harn done by good people doing northing, than bad people doing harm. No one wants to be involved. Now. We just walk by....Sad, but true.
So sad😢
If there is any questions as to why building codes and such are as they are, you need only look at New York.
Similar disaster in Rhode Island at the station nightclub Windows has been painted black it was just a disaster
Just terrible to hear 🤦♀️ may they RIP 🙏
Great video, but sad...
It makes me think about fate.
The man carrying a stretcher, with a burn victim, is holding a lit cigarette...
You know you're in an old commercial building when the door opens inwardly. This disaster probably has resulted in saving countless lives because of the new building codes.