Fires Trivia

1. In what mid-western city did the butter fire occur? It has been called "Athens of the Mid-West", "Madcity", "Four Lakes City", and "72 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality".

From Quiz The Great Butter Fire

Answer: Madison, Wisconsin

Life Magazine in a 1940s feature article dubbed Madison the "Athens of the Mid-West; "Four Lakes" underscores its recreational advantages; "Madcity" came out as reputation as a laid back party town; 72 square miles was a name bestowed by a former frustrated governor.

From Quiz Great Balls of Fire!

Answer: Dublin, Ireland

This nightclub fire caused the deaths of 48 people and injury to 214 people. The Stardust Nightclub was a very popular disco located in Dublin, Ireland. The origin of the fire has never been proven, but it is known that an alarm was never sounded and the patrons were not informed when the fire was found. They became aware of the fire only when the lights went out because the fire had spread into the ceiling. Many of the fire exits were padlocked or chained shut. In July of 1985, the song "They Never Came Home" was written and performed by Irish folk singer Christy Moore in remembrance of the event and the victims.

From Quiz Fire at the Cocoanut Grove

Answer: Boston

Boston was the site of the fire. The Cocoanut Grove was 'the place to be and be seen' in that era of the early 1940s. Actually, it was divided into two sections. One was a dining room and dancing area which had a roof that could be rolled back in fair weather for dancing under the stars. Downstairs was the Melody Lounge which featured a piano bar. Located in the Bay Village neighborhood of Boston at 17 Piedmont Street it had first come to life as a 'speakeasy' of the prohibition era.

From Quiz 1940 Rhythm Club Fire

Answer: 209

This is an approximation. The exact number is unknown, but this is the most commonly cited number. All of those killed were African Americans. Several were school children, as young as sixth graders! Many others were severely injured. It was said that every black family in town lost someone due to the fire.

From Quiz Gutted!

Answer: Chicago

Most buildings at the time were timber, and to add to the fire risk the sidewalks, (wooden), had just been completed. 1871 was a very dry summer so when fire began it took hold very easily. 17,000 buildings were gutted.

From Quiz The Great Butter Fire

Answer: Across the street

Fire Station #5 was across the street. As first responders they held the fire under control until reinforcements arrived from other stations. Concern was the mixed use neighborhood that contained many small businesses and apartments and single family dwelling were in danger. Three thousand residents had to be evacuated.

From Quiz The Stench of Burning Flesh

Answer: Circus

During a performance by the Gran Circus Norte-Americano, one of the big-top tents caught fire. After investigation, this tragedy was blamed on an act of arson by an angry ex-employee who was subsequently sent to prison. There are some people who claim that the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring but was covered up to avoid liability and lawsuits. In 1944, a Hartford, Connecticut circus fire took the lives of over 170 people when the big top caught fire.

From Quiz Fire at the Cocoanut Grove

Answer: November 28, 1942

For some time the newspaper accounts of the fire and its aftermath dominated the news, forcing some World War II news to the back pages as Americans tried to absorb the deadly disaster.

From Quiz 1940 Rhythm Club Fire

Answer: Walter Barnes

All but two of the bandmembers were killed in the fire. Walter Barnes and his Royal Creoleans were from Chicago, and had been a resident band at Al Capone's Cotton Club in Cicero, Illinois.

From Quiz Gutted!

Answer: London

This fire engulfed and destroyed all the timber-framed and wooden buildings of medieval London. The new buildings were all made of brick and stone. Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt many of the churches in London and his masterpiece is St. Paul's Cathedral. Originally he submitted a plan for the complete reconstruction (including a new lay-out for the streets) of London as a grandiose Baroque city, but the cost and the urgent need to proceed quickly with rebuilding made his proposal impractical.

From Quiz Aspiring Fires

Answer: Earthquake

In one of the most unfortunate series of natural events in history, the city of Tokyo was struck by an earthquake in September 1923, the epicenter being situated nearby in the Kanto region. A larger earthquake would not be had in Japan until 2011. At the same time, many Tokyo citizens were indoors, taking shelter from a typhoon whipping through. It was believed that their fireplaces contributed to what would become one of the deadliest blazes in the nation's history; high winds, toppled buildings, and utter chaos resulted in massive blazes and fire whirls which devastated the population, killing many taking refuge in larger buildings. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami, coupled with the typhoon, had a death toll of just under 100,000, 70% less than the alleged death toll of the fire sweeping the city. The disasters left millions without shelter.

From Quiz Great Balls of Fire!

Answer: The exits were locked

In the late afternoon of March 25,1911 in Manhattan, New York at least 146 people were killed when the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory caught fire. In an effort to keep their employees from stealing, the company had locked all the doors to the stairwells and exits. The only fire escape from the building collapsed under the weight of those trying to escape, killing all of those on these flimsy stairs. Almost all the dead were young female immigrants who had come to America looking for a new life. Because the factory was located on the eighth, ninth, and tenth floor of the building, the employees either burned to death or jumped to their deaths. The next time you feel the urge to complain about your job remember this: these girls were working 52 hours a week, without breaks, for the princely wage of between 7-12 dollars a week. The cause of the fire was never proven. This event did lead to new safety regulations in factories which included laws banning the locking of exits.

From Quiz The Stench of Burning Flesh

Answer: The number is unknown

While only six deaths were officially recorded after this conflagration, the count is believed to have been much higher as the fire destroyed seven out of every eight homes. It burned over 13,000 homes, 87 churches and most of the business sector. The reason for the low death count is believed to have been caused by the fact that the deaths of poor and middle class victims were not recorded in official records and also that many of the bodies may have been completely burned to ash in the fire. There are many modern estimates that put the death toll above 5,000. The fire started in a bakery oven and high winds caused it to spread rapidly.

From Quiz Fire at the Cocoanut Grove

Answer: Error in changing a light bulb

Stanley Tomaszewski, a 16 year old bus boy, was asked to replace a bulb that someone had unscrewed. In order to do this, Tomasewski had to strike a match to properly set the bulb. Reportedly, there was an instant flame cutting across the downstairs Melody Lounge. Tomaszewski was interrogated as he survived the fire and was exonerated from blame.

From Quiz 1940 Rhythm Club Fire

Answer: Spanish moss

It is believed that a carelessly tossed cigarette ignited the moss.

From Quiz Gutted!

Answer: Toronto

The fire broke out in Barnes and Noble, a tie making factory. It was bitterly cold with sub zero temperatures, so ice was a problem. A gale force wind fanned the flames. No one was killed but 5,000 were made idle and immense damage was caused.

From Quiz Aspiring Fires

Answer: MGM Grand

In a place as busy as Las Vegas, a fire could cause horrible damage. When the former MGM Grand caught fire in November 1980 it became one of the worst hotel fires in U.S. history, killing over eight people inside and causing severe damage to the structure. Of course, it being Vegas, the building was reconstructed within half a year and back to full functionality. It became Bally's Las Vegas shortly after and a new MGM Grand was built down the strip. What was the cause? It was discovered that electrical wiring in the wall of a restaurant sparked the blaze. The fire was fueled by a lack of sprinkler coverage in the casino and eating areas, the fault of a poor decisions made by building inspectors. After another fire in another casino the following year, Vegas building laws were amended.

From Quiz Great Balls of Fire!

Answer: The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire

Jack London was referring to what he saw in the aftermath of the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire in 1906. The earthquake struck at 05:12 a.m. and could be felt from Oregon to Nevada and up and down most of the Pacific coast of the U.S. The fire that ensued leveled most of the buildings that had been left standing after the earthquake. Over 3,000 people were killed and this incident is remembered as one of the worst natural disasters to hit North America. Over 3/4 of the remaining population was left homeless. This disaster and the ensuing fire helped pass new laws concerning building construction and fire safety for the state of California. The last part of Jack London's statement says it all, "San Francisco is gone".

From Quiz Fire at the Cocoanut Grove

Answer: Chemicals, decorations and lack of fire planning

As we were to learn from this tragic fire, fire prevention in potentially crowded areas is essential. The decorations and of paper and cloth were dangerous. As forensic evidence came forward later, chemicals released by the fire caused toxic gas to quickly flow through out the club causing death to many patrons within minutes.

From Quiz 1940 Rhythm Club Fire

Answer: 1 St. Catherine Street

The Rhythm Club was a corrugated iron building that had been converted to a night club three years earlier. A marker has been placed on the site to honor the memory of the victims.

From Quiz Gutted!

Answer: New York

Fire broke out on December 16, 1835. Strong winds drove what was a small fire to begin with into a catastrophe. Many merchants discovered that they were not covered by insurance, while insurance companies were burned down in the financial district. The fire was finally stopped by blowing up buildings in its path.

From Quiz The Great Butter Fire

Answer: Two days to contain, seven out

The fire was contained in two days but continued to smolder an additional five days until declared out.

From Quiz Aspiring Fires

Answer: The Mont-Blanc

Known in Canadian history as the Halifax Explosion, it occurred in December 1917, right at the start of winter. When the explosion shook the coast early that morning, it knocked down a large reach of the surrounding community, toppling buildings and killing nearly two thousand people in its massive TNT-powered blast. The Mont-Blanc, originally commissioned to bring explosives overseas to France, ended up colliding with the SS Imo and the fire onboard ended up spreading and sparking the dynamite. It has since been considered one of Canada's worst man-made disasters and, until the bombs were dropped in Japan in World War II, it was the most damaging bomb inadvertently created. To add insult to injury, the damage was covered by a blizzard the following day.

From Quiz Great Balls of Fire!

Answer: By a campfire

In 2003 during a period of wild-fires a hiker lost in the woods tried lighting a fire hoping that someone would find him. Although the hiker was found, his campfire started a wildfire which consumed 280,000 acres of land and destroyed almost 3000 buildings and homes. This fire, which occurred in San Diego County, California was fueled by the Santa Ana Winds and a lack of rainfall in the area. The smoke from this fire forced the closure of of the air traffic control center for both Los Angeles and San Diego shutting down all commercial air traffic to a large portion of California. This fire killed 15 people and caused over two billion dollars worth of damage.

From Quiz The Stench of Burning Flesh

Answer: A French cargo-ship

On December 6,1917 the SS Mont-Blanc, a French ship which was carrying a full load of explosives was involved in a collision with the SS Imo. The ensuing explosion and fire killed over 2,000 people and injured another 9,000. The damage caused by the initial explosion destroyed most of the city and all help had to travel many miles just to get to the outskirts of the city, which was consumed with flames. Amazing photographs of this incident can be found on the Internet.

From Quiz The Great Butter Fire

Answer: $100,000,000

The estimate was $100,000,000 but consider that the figure is in 1991 dollars. In 2018 it would have been over 200 million.

From Quiz Aspiring Fires

Answer: Gulf War

After invading Kuwait in 1990 and sparking the Gulf War, Iraqi forces ended what would be known to American soldiers as 'Operation Desert Storm' by depleting oil resources, mainly by setting rigs ablaze, destroying billions of barrels of the precious natural substance. Many of the fires remained ablaze for nearly ten months; they started in January and ended in November, only because of hired contractors who put them out. Before the final rig fizzled out, the fires had already created widespread pollution problems not only in the atmosphere, but in the desert sands which quickly reabsorbed spilled oil. It was one of the costliest disasters in Kuwait's history.

From Quiz Fire at the Cocoanut Grove

Answer: Buck Jones

Buck Jones made 160 movies in the silent and early sound eras. He was in Boston to help sell War Bonds for the military effort and had visited hospitals in the area. He was badly burned and died two days later. Because of the heroic roles that he played, a rumor persisted that Jones had rushed back into the fire to save others but this has been discounted as his injuries when found were too severe.

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