The Cocoanut Grove Inferno: 490 Dead in America's Deadliest Nightclub Fire

On November 28, 1942, a night of celebration at Boston’s glamorous Cocoanut Grove nightclub turned into one of the deadliest disasters in American history. Within just five minutes, a fire fueled by flammable decorations and overcrowding consumed the entire club—claiming 490 lives and injuring hundreds more.

What caused the fire? Why did it spread so quickly? And how did this tragedy reshape fire safety laws and medical treatment forever? In this video, we uncover the shocking story behind the Coconut Grove Fire:

The club’s notorious ties to organized crime and city officials
How locked and hidden exits sealed the fate of hundreds
Then controversial role of a teenage busboy and a single match
The chaos, heroism, and heartbreak of that fateful night
The groundbreaking changes in fire codes and medical advances that followed

The lessons learned from Coconut Grove have saved millions of lives since. Join us as we explore the negligence, greed, and resilience that define this unforgettable tragedy.
Chapters:
0:00 – Introduction
1:10 – The Nightclub’s Dark History
3:05 – How the Fire Started
5:20 – The Deadly Spread
8:15 – Aftermath and Investigation
12:30 – Lasting Impact on Fire Safety
If you want to learn more about the fire code changes inspired by this event, check out our deep dive on the Historic Fire YouTube channel.