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Match box from the Boston nite club
Never used.
It’s said that a match start the worst fire in Boston history
Cleanest set I’ve seen.
The Cocoanut Grove fire on November 28, 1942, was the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history, claiming 492 lives in Boston's South End
Date & Location: Saturday night, November 28, 1942, at the Cocoanut Grove multi-level nightclub located at 17 Piedmont Street in Boston.
The Spread: The fire swept through the overcrowded venue—holding over 900 people despite a legal capacity of 460—and turned deadly within minutes.
Causes and Structural Failures Ignition: The exact spark remains undetermined, though it reportedly started near artificial palm trees in the basement lounge.Flammable Decor: South Seas-themed draperies and paper decorations fueled the fast-moving inferno.
Trapped Patrons: Locked exit doors (intended to prevent unpaid tabs), inward-swinging doors, and a jammed revolving front door trapped fleeing crowds.
Legacy and ReformSafety Codes: As discussed in a Facebook Discussion on Facebook, users agree that the tragedy fundamentally transformed modern fire and building regulations nationwide, introducing mandatory outward-opening exit doors, illuminated exit signs, panic hardware, and bans on flammable interior decorations.
Medical Advancements: The influx of severely burned patients revolutionized emergency medical treatment, leading to breakthroughs in plasma fluid resuscitation, sterile burn care, and early antibiotic usage.
Outcome: Nightclub owner Barnett "Barney" Welansky was convicted of 19 counts of manslaughter and sentenced to prison
