MGM Grand fire, the 32nd anniversary of the nation’s second-deadliest hotel fire

Akillies · Nov 26, 2012

When it was over, the Nov. 21, 1980, fire killed 85 people and injured nearly 700 more. It could have been worse — there were 4,000 to 5,000 people in the building, including 3,400 guests.
The tragedy became a wake-up call that eventually spurred new safety codes and regulations for high-rise buildings that were adopted nationwide.
But on the day of the blaze, the resort resembled a war zone. Helicopters swirled through heavy smoke, plucking victims from the roof. Firefighters swarmed – 550 in all, from 28 engine companies, eight ladder companies and 15 rescue units. Body after body was pulled from the building, so many that the refrigerated morgue at the Coroner's Office couldn't hold them. A refrigerated truck was brought in, and the 84 people who died that day were placed there in body bags.

Akillies · Nov 26, 2012

Akillies · Nov 26, 2012

The difference for survival seemed to be whether guests had broken out the windows or opened their hallway doors. If they opened their doors, smoke would come in from the hallways. If they opened windows, smoke might come in from the floors below — or be blown in by the rotors of the large Air Force helicopters landing on the roof.
“The ones that kept doors shut and had stuffed towels under doors (and into room vents), they were OK,” Perkins said.

One floor in particular still brings back disturbing memories for Perkins, who was then 31 years old.
“We saw a big pile of people with their arms wrapped around each other in front of the elevator,” he said. "There were probably 10 to 12 people who had died in each other’s arms. It’s something I’ve had nightmares about ever since.”
Perkins remembers going into one room and finding the bodies of two people who had succumbed to the toxic smoke and fumes.
“And the very next room, there were two couples who were sitting at the coffee table drinking tequila and partying,” he said, remembering the ironic scene on a grim day.

Special to the Las Vegas Sun
A view of the MGM Grand during the Nov. 21, 1980, fire as seen from the Las Vegas Strip side of the casino.

Akillies · Nov 26, 2012

The official report by the national fire protection association:

http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/Press Room/LasVegasMGMGrand.pdf

Mr_Mark · Nov 26, 2012

what was the cause of the fire?

Akillies · Nov 26, 2012

a spark in the wiring for a cooling unit in the deli.
inadequate construction design and materials [all of which were up to code] led to a massive fire.

Akillies · Nov 26, 2012

the hotel towers never caught fire, as the fire was contained to the casino level, so the majority of the deaths were due to panic and should have been avoided..

Akillies · Nov 26, 2012

On the night of February 11, 1981, just 90 days after the devastating MGM Grand fire, an arson fire started at the Las Vegas Hilton while it was ironically being retrofitted with modern fire safety equipment. Firefighters, using the knowledge they had learned from the MGM fire, used local television networks to notify people to stay in their rooms and not go out to the halls and stairwells. Because of the lessons learned, only eight people died in this fire compared with the 85 people who died in the MGM Grand fire. In 1982, Philip Cline was sentenced to eight life sentences for his role in starting the fire[3].

The race and sports book was added in 1986 and at the time was the largest in Las Vegas.