Cocoanut Grove Fire Site & Memorial Plaque, Boston MA

Video of the Cocoanut Grove Fire site located at Piedmont & Church Streets (near Park Square). 492 people tragically perished as a result of the fire. The only marker is a plaque that was donated by residents of the neighborhood. Hopefully a more substantial monument will be dedicated for this event. The fire is third worst in American history as measured by loss of life. It is now believed that methyl chloride in the air conditioning likely caused the flashover in the ceiling, 60 years too late. A parking lot takes up most of the footprint of where the night club stood. The memorial is embedded in the sidewalk. Please note that this can be considered a somber location. Walking slowly was intentional. The reflection of light at the end was coincidental.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• cocoanut grove fire
• coconut grove
• fire
• worst
• fires
• station nightclub
• boston
• disaster
• explosion

[garycalgary]

horrible....i just learned about it watching modern marvels.

[keithsmove]

Kinda a cheesy memorial for so many lives lost.....

Yuppies dont want anything bigger?

[unzarjones]

I was looking for the plaque on Google's street view, but didn't know it was on the sidewalk.

[FDNYBase08]

@Rajnoma How quick we forget about these fires. And just when you think it can't happen again, with safety measures and the like, BANG the Rhode Island fire occurs.

[FDNYBase08]

@Rajnoma One of my biggest fears working midnights in Manhattan was the possibility of a nightclub incident. On the west side of Manhattan, they have one whole city block of nothing but clubs.The one time I did respond to a reported fire at a club, thankfully it was a false alarm called in by someone who was kicked out. But the panic that existed even for a false alarm made my skin crawl. People forget where we've been and as such, still don't realize what could happen at places like these.

[Rajnoma]

The horror of the Cocoanut Grove fire should NEVER have happened again, in a time when we've learned so much more about fire safety in public establishments, yet a terrible fire did occur at The Station Nightclub in W. Warwick, R.I. in 2003--no sprinklers and a pyrotechnic display indoors! There are still 'fire traps" with locked , chained or barred exits, in this metro area, I was told by a former fire chief, that only make their places fire safe when forced to do so by municipal authority.

[ChiefWP]

@Rajnoma My great-uncle was like your mother, supposed to be there that evening but for a change of plans. What a tragedy.

[Rajnoma]

I totally agree that we need a more fitting memorial for those who perished in Boston's worst fire. Everybody in Boston had at least one friend or relative who perished in that horrifying fire. My mother had sold War Bonds during WW II at the Grove; thank God, she was not there that night (she was at the nearby Mayfair instead-- a sudden change of plans!) However,one of her friends died in the Grove that night. May the Lord grant eternal rest for the souls of those who suffered.