Summary
492 people died in a fire at the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub in Boston’s Bay Village area on the night of November 28, 1942. The tragedy shocked the nation, brought about major changes
in building codes, fire regulations, and emergency medicine, and led to a precedent-setting conviction of the nightclub owner for the crime of Manslaughter. The Grove Fire is still the deadliest restaurant fire in the history of the United States.
The speakers analyzed the fire (with the aid of audio-visual materials) including recent evidence and theories about its cause, discuss its impact on the community, and describe the
aftermath of the fire on laws, regulations, and fire-fighting practices. In addition, they explored why -- eighty years after the event -- the Cocoanut Grove Fire remains a landmark historical event with enduring lessons not only for today’s society as a whole but also for each of us individually.
