The fire that erupted at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in the early hours of Jan. 1, which has taken the lives of 40 people and left more than 100 others seriously injured, has many similarities to the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire on Piedmont Street in Boston on Thanksgiving weekend in 1942, in which at least 490 people were killed.
Like the Cocoanut Grove blaze that started in the the Melody Lounge basement bar, the Swiss fire broke out in a basement club. In both cases disbelief quickly turned to panic as people rushed to crowded exits.
As tragic as the Cocoanut Grove fire was, it led to numerous innovations in fire safety and building codes as well as to revolutionary medical treatment for burn care patients and important legal precedent.
After more than eight decades a memorial is set to be placed this year in Boston’s Statler Park to remember all who suffered from this disaster and mark the significant advances that have been made. The goal is to educate the public on the history and hopefully inspire future generations to remember these powerful lessons. The New Year’s tragedy in Switzerland underscores the critical importance of fire prevention. We grieve for the lives lost in Crans-Montana and pray for the survivors and first responders.
Mike Hanlon
Watertown
Paul Miller
Boston
The writers are on the board of the Cocoanut Grove Memorial Committee.
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