Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Cocoanut Grove Fire #3



492 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured. It was the second worst single-building fire in American history. Among the dead was movie cowboy Charles Buck Jones, who had also performed with wild west shows and circuses and who had taken out his own wild west show in 1929.

5 comments:

Eric said...

That morning, Buck Jones had made a personal appearance at the Boston Garden before an audience of mostly children.

Ole Whitey said...

I wonder if the Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago might have been the number one.

JACKIE said...

Iam not a good reader, but seem not to find the date in these comments. I was living in Fall River at the time. I went to Google. It was November 28, 1942. It may have been mentioned, but I missed it. I was 15. going to Durfee High at the time. Little did I know that a simular experience woulld be brought into my life on Ringling July 6, 1944. Jackie

Chic Silber said...


Yes Dave it was

The Iroquois Theater fire occurred
in Chicago on December 30 1903
It is the deadliest theater fire
and the deadliest single building
fire in US history
At least 605 people died as a
result of the fire

Roger Smith said...

No telling who, but likely a movie publicist, told the story that Buck Jones at first escaped the fire, then turned to come back and save as many as he could. The investigation proved Jones had been at a table well inside the club and never made it far from where he was seated.