73 Years Later, Boston Remembers Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire

On Nov. 28, 1943, the worst nightclub fire in U.S. history struck Boston's Cocoanut Grove, killing 492 people and injuring 166 others who jammed the city's most desirable dance halls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. More than 1,000 people were in the building when it caught fire many were trapped without any way to get out.

The Boston Globe published a story about the event marking the 73rd anniversary of the tragic fire that touched off a flurry of legislative bills demanding investigations and fire prevention and safety inspection laws. It also launched an unprecedented national debate revolving around the need for fire safety and prevention.

Survivors and authorities have long disputed the source, but witnesses agree that the flames began in the Melody Lounge, a cocktail lounge in the club’s basement, and quickly spread through the building with the help of flammable decorations, cloth-covered ceilings, and cocoanut palms, according to the NFPA.