Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire (1942)

On November 28, 1942, a fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston's Bay Village killed 492 people, making it one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history. The blaze spread rapidly through combustible decorations and was exacerbated by limited and locked exits, leading to mass fatalities and numerous injuries. The club's recorded address is 17 Piedmont Street; the tragedy led to sweeping changes in fire codes and building safety regulations nationwide.