High Rise Building Fire - 6 die - Nov 29, 1972

This devastating fire occurred in New Orleans, LA in November 29, 1972. It shows 5 women having to jump from the 15 floor as fire raced through the beauty salon they were in. It is heart wrenching and if you watch it you may not be able to sleep for a few nights. I was reluctant about placing this on YouTube, but noticed that someone had made a copy of it from Signal 51's Web page and placed it on here. The other copy has the wrong date on it. After this fire and several other high rise fires many laws were passed about placing sprinklers in all buildings.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Fire
• high
• rise
• death
• sprinklers

[gray73]

There's almost nothing about this online but I did find one thing that said Mark Essex, who worked in the Rault building may have started the fires that day. There was one fire. The fire department responded then this second one. The theory is he set the fire because he knew he would wind up in the hotel across the street during his shooting spree and he wanted to take out the vantage point for police snipers.

[zaffdoc]

@gray73 >>>---> You are confusing two separate incidences. One was a sniper shooting from the Howard Johnson Motel located on Loyola Ave where he murdered and wounded several police officers, firefighters and civilians. This video is of the Rault Center that had a fire on the top floor that took out six people. The last I heard the Rault Center building was still standing but was not occupied. The Howard Johnson is now a Holiday Inn in the 300 blk of Loyola Ave across from City Hall.

[rhsharp]

I remember that my family visited New Orleans for the 1975 Sugar Bowl game. We came to town without hotel reservations because my dad was sure we could find a room in the city anyway. Wouldn't you know we walked right up to the Rault Center (it was the Holiday Inn/Rault Center in 1975) to see if there were any rooms available. I knew what had happened there and told my dad I would NOT stay in that building. Fortunately there were no rooms available anyway.

[zaffdoc]

@rhsharp >>>---> You are a little confused. The Rault Center fire was in a different building than the event at the Holiday Inn.

[happymike44]

@rhsharp

The Rault Center closed after this fire and never reopened it is in the heart of New Orleans CBD or Central Business District it was closed and never reopened

It is now being considered for a condo complex however that may have stalled due to the current economy.

Just sharing the information with for you since I used to live in The Big Easy.

[zaffdoc]

@happymike44 >>>---> Thanks for the update

[rhsharp]

I have some information I've gathered over the years. There was one survivor - Natalie Smith. She said that when she had to jump she decided that her husband and children needed her and that she must not die. She spent almost 6 months in the hospital, but after surgeries, was able to walk again. I saw her interviewed on 20/20 in 1982, ten years after the fire. The owner of the Lamplighter Beauty Salon died from jumping as did the others. Her assistant survived for a month or so. Horrible!

[YouHeardMeBitch]

One of the women did survive. she appeared on TV and this footage was shown. She was badly injured but recovered.

[Renfurrer]

Those poor women having to go through that. May God rest their souls. Bless their hearts.

[rhsharp]

No, Zaffdoc, I don't think I am confused. The Rault Center became a Holiday Inn briefly in the mid-70s. I clearly remember the sign on the building saying, "Holiday Inn - Rault Center."  I know there's another Holiday Inn across the street now.

[k4ldh]

 what was the purpose of showing it in slow motion?

[TheChemaery]

my father worked at the rault center he died in 1070-but at the time of the fire my sister was workinh there.. I knew the ladies in the hair salon..I watched them jump.. I have nightmares still...My heart and prayers go out to the families .