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The Cocoanut Grove Fire
A gripping narrative of the worst nightclub fire in American history, which killed 492 people in World War II Boston.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
96 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2005
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68 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Schorow
17 books8 followersStephanie Schorow is a Boston-area reporter and writer. For 12 years she toiled as a features editor and ink-stained scribe for the Boston Herald until she struck out on her own as a freelance writer in 2005. Her articles now regularly appear in the Boston Globe and other publications.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 11, 2016
Posted at Shelf Inflicted
Stephanie Schorow’s excellent Drinking Boston briefly mentioned the tragic Cocoanut Grove fire, an event I had no knowledge about prior to reading. 492 people died in the blaze, and over a hundred were injured. The glamorous Cocoanut Grove nightclub was frequented by couples and families celebrating special occasions, celebrities, servicemen, politicians, and athletes. Famous people were not immune to the horrors of that tragic night of November 28, 1942. Several members from entertainer Mickey Alpert’s house band perished, along with Buck Jones, a Hollywood cowboy star. Fortunately, the Boston College Eagles suffered a devastating loss to the Holy Cross Crusaders and canceled their victory celebration at the Cocoanut Grove.
This concise, well-researched and very readable little book provides a history of the nightclub and its owners - first Mickey Alpert, then Charles “King” Solomon, a mob boss who controlled Boston’s bootlegging operations, and finally, his lawyer, Barney Welansky, who used his connections with the Mafia and corrupt city officials to willfully violate the safety standards in existence at the time by overcrowding, blocking side exits to prevent guests from walking out without paying their tabs, using highly flammable decorations throughout the nightclub, hiring unlicensed electricians, and employing minors.
Not only does this book provide details about the fire and its aftermath, it also tells the stories of victims and survivors who courageously rescued others from the fire and the firefighters who tirelessly battled the blaze and hauled out hundreds of charred bodies. There was the head cashier who perished for refusing to leave her post and the club’s profits unattended, and other staff members who waited to be rescued and ended up losing their lives. There were numerous reports of cash, wallets, watches and rings stolen from burned and trampled bodies. There were heartbreaking stories of people who survived the fire only to die horrible deaths later on.
Boston City Hospital (now Boston Medical Center) and Massachusetts General had their work cut out for them. Though treating extensive burns was their major focus, there were large numbers of patients with severe respiratory problems from inhaling smoke and toxic chemicals, infections, and fluid loss. During this time, there were considerable advances in burn treatment, as well as the use of penicillin, which was used by the military and not yet widely available to civilians.
It makes me sad to know that greed and corruption is still the order of the day in Boston.
Stephanie Schorow’s excellent Drinking Boston briefly mentioned the tragic Cocoanut Grove fire, an event I had no knowledge about prior to reading. 492 people died in the blaze, and over a hundred were injured. The glamorous Cocoanut Grove nightclub was frequented by couples and families celebrating special occasions, celebrities, servicemen, politicians, and athletes. Famous people were not immune to the horrors of that tragic night of November 28, 1942. Several members from entertainer Mickey Alpert’s house band perished, along with Buck Jones, a Hollywood cowboy star. Fortunately, the Boston College Eagles suffered a devastating loss to the Holy Cross Crusaders and canceled their victory celebration at the Cocoanut Grove.
This concise, well-researched and very readable little book provides a history of the nightclub and its owners - first Mickey Alpert, then Charles “King” Solomon, a mob boss who controlled Boston’s bootlegging operations, and finally, his lawyer, Barney Welansky, who used his connections with the Mafia and corrupt city officials to willfully violate the safety standards in existence at the time by overcrowding, blocking side exits to prevent guests from walking out without paying their tabs, using highly flammable decorations throughout the nightclub, hiring unlicensed electricians, and employing minors.
Not only does this book provide details about the fire and its aftermath, it also tells the stories of victims and survivors who courageously rescued others from the fire and the firefighters who tirelessly battled the blaze and hauled out hundreds of charred bodies. There was the head cashier who perished for refusing to leave her post and the club’s profits unattended, and other staff members who waited to be rescued and ended up losing their lives. There were numerous reports of cash, wallets, watches and rings stolen from burned and trampled bodies. There were heartbreaking stories of people who survived the fire only to die horrible deaths later on.
Boston City Hospital (now Boston Medical Center) and Massachusetts General had their work cut out for them. Though treating extensive burns was their major focus, there were large numbers of patients with severe respiratory problems from inhaling smoke and toxic chemicals, infections, and fluid loss. During this time, there were considerable advances in burn treatment, as well as the use of penicillin, which was used by the military and not yet widely available to civilians.
It makes me sad to know that greed and corruption is still the order of the day in Boston.
December 31, 2015
I read this book for my book club and the author, Stephanie Schorow, came to our meeting. It was very interesting to talk to her and learn about her researching/writing process and why she was interested in the Cocoanut Grove fire. I really enjoyed the book and plan to read others that Stephanie Schorow has written. I also want to read more about the devastating Cocoanut Grove fire, as this book is very short (less than 100 pages and even less than that has text on it). The aftermath of this fire changed many things in the medical, political and architectural worlds. I believe I have been in a building that sits on part of the Cocoanut Grove footprint, and I didn't even know the significance of the location at the time. I think a lot of people in Boston (at least the younger generation) have forgotten about this massive event that occurred there. It's something that shouldn't be forgotten.
November 3, 2023
The books starts out as a fascinating look at the suave nightclub life in Boston during prohibition, and then beyond. Then a terrible tragedy takes place at Cocoanut Grove in 1942 - a fire. The decor of flammable plastic palm trees and chemically treated wall fabrics, the gas in the air-conditioning system, intentionally bolted doors which prevented patrons from leaving without paying a bill, electrical work done on the cheap and too many patrons on the fateful night - all played a part in the unthinkable tragedy. The fire was devastating, too horrific that those who escaped were unable to talk about it. 492 victims died trying to escape the fire and deadly toxic fumes. The fire led to the adoption of safety laws and regulations, new and better methods of treating burn victims, a ban on flammable building materials, and a requirement for adequate exists. Reading this brought to mind the RI Station fire in 2007, which had similar overtones of gross negligence.
July 17, 2012
A clear and compact account of the terrible fire that claimed lots of lives in Boston. Well researched and documented.
November 16, 2015
Very upsetting but hugely informative book. Looking forward to meeting the author this evening...
April 17, 2013
Seems well documented, added personal stories about the families.
September 3, 2016
Well researched, informative, and chilling.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews