Cocoanut Grove 76 Years Later: What we may never know about America's deadliest night club fire?

On November 28, 1942 four hundred ninety-two people were killed in the Cocoanut Grove fire (Verzoni, 2017). This is the deadliest nightclub fire in history. In the article “Chased by flames” Verzoni discusses the anomaly surrounding the fire dynamics and behavior during the Cocoanut Grove fire. The burn patterns and witness reports regarding the speed of the fire spread have left many questions unanswered for decades. As the article addresses a current project is being conducted jointly by the Fire Protection Research Foundation and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute with the purpose of understanding the fire’s behavior (Verzoni, 2017). There are multiple theories on what caused the specific fire behavior including the one addressed in the article involving methyl chloride. Although we now have technology that was not readily available in 1942, it is entirely possible that we will never know what truly caused the specific pattern of fire spread however the researchers have stated that that is not necessarily their goal. The researchers intend only to offer learning opportunities and selling points for individuals considering fire protection as a career field (Verzoni, 2017). The article also points out the changes that have taken place in building and fire codes and changes in the medical field that were as a direct result of the Cocoanut Grove fire.

A second article by Scott Sutherland titled “A Walk in Boston” shares the same sentiments of the “Chasing Fire Article” and points to the same research being conducted on the unique circumstances surround the fire spread in this tragedy. Sutherland also addresses the fact that despite the large advances in the technology surrounding fire modeling we may never full know the answers to the questions posed by this fire. How did the fire move so fast? Why did the fire burn some items, but other items traditionally found burned in other fires were untouched? The answers to these questions and more may forever lay in the graves of those killed by the tragedy. However the questions remain, as Sutherland says in his article, “Walk the brick sidewalks of Bay Village and see for yourself – Cocoanut Grove is still with us, and it isn’t going anywhere” (2017).

The valid points of this article are that the Cocoanut Grove fire occurred and it was indeed a tragedy. A large volume of life, the largest volume of life in a night club, was lost due to a myriad of problems some of which are not completely understood. The largest component of what we do not understand is how and why the fire spread the way it did. Building and fire codes surrounding lighting, exits, and automatic sprinklers were created or improved and medical procedures improved and were replaced with new better treatments all as a result of this tragedy. All of these points are valid.

The only content of this article that is subject to an argument of validity is the statement that our current technology will not give us the answers to the questions posed by the unusual fire dynamics and that we may never be able to answer those questions. Many things are lost to the pages of history. Simply because of the degradation of the scene and of evidence and the amount of time that has passed allowing the witnesses memories to grow old, we will never be able to gain as much new information about the tragedy as we would if the event had occurred in more modern times. We are left only with what historians can tell us which limits our ability to understand entirely what the newer technology tells us. Fire modeling, through the use of computers, has improved volumes however without adequate data points the findings will not be able to fully explain the fires behavior. Instead researchers will use fire models and best guesses to attempt to replicate the circumstances that occurred in the Cocoanut Grove fire and offer those best guesses as an explanation. This is why there is no invalidity in the statement that technology will not be able to offer us all the answers to the tragedies of the past. Instead we can only hope to learn the lessons offered and prevent them from happening again.

References

Verzoni, A. (2017). CHASED BY FLAMES. NFPA Journal, 111(3), 12-14. Retrieved from https://search-proquest.com.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/docview/1904699628?accountid=33337

Sutherland, S. (2017). A walk in Boston. NFPA Journal, 111(3), 6. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/docview/1904699343?accountid=33337

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