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Major American Fires: Introduction & General Information

Major American Fires

Forest Fire

Photo by John McColgan, fire behavior analyst at the U.S. Forest Service

 The primary audience of this guide is fire fighters and emergency responders, but students and members of the public with an interest in American history might also find this guide useful. Each tab of this guide contains information about a different fire.

General Resources

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Deadliest U.S. Public Assembly and Nightclub Fires

Building City Date Deaths
Iroquois Theater Chicago, IL 12/30/1903   602
Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Boston, MA 11/28/1942   492
Conway's Theater (Brooklyn Theater) Brooklyn, NY 12/05/1876   285
Rhythm Club Natchez, MS 04/23/1940   207
Rhoads Opera House Boyertown, PA 01/13/1908   170
Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Hartford, CT 07/06/1944   168
Beverly Hills Supper Club Southgate, KY 05/28/1977   165
Station Nightclub West Warwick, RI 02/20/2003   100
Happy Land Social Club Bronx, NY 03/25/1990   87
Richmond Theater Richmond, VA 12/26/1811   72

Statistics from the NFPA.