Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire (1942) - Bay Village

On November 28, 1942 a fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston killed 492 people, making it one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history. The rapid spread and high death toll prompted major reforms in fire codes, including requirements for outward-opening doors, exit signage, and limits on overcrowding. The disaster led to widespread changes in building safety standards nationally.