75th Anniversary of Boston's Cocoanut Grove Fire

On November 28, 1942, 492 people perished at the Cocoanut Grove in the worst nightclub fire in US history. Fire buffs still debate its true cause; lawyers, doctors, and building contractors continue to work under its impact. For most Bostonians, however, the true story of the Cocoanut Grove is its devastating effect on the hundreds of individuals caught in a maelstrom of heat, smoke, panic, and pain—individuals out for a night of fun who were doomed by greed and thoughtlessness.

Stephanie Schorow is the author of six books including The Cocoanut Grove Fire and Drinking Boston: A History of the City and Its Spirits. She is a correspondent for the Boston Globe and was a writer at the Boston Herald. She is currently at work on a book about Boston’s infamous combat zone.