Buzz
Nightclubs, often seen as hubs of entertainment, music, and celebration, can tragically become death traps when fires break out, claiming the lives of hundreds of patrons, performers, and employees. This list highlights ten of the most devastating nightclub fires from 1940 to 2009. Despite spanning nearly six decades, these disasters share common factors such as overcrowding, blocked exits, and the use of flammable materials, many of which could have been avoided. The misuse of pyrotechnics or fireworks during performances has also been a recurring cause, particularly in the two most recent incidents in 2009.
10. Wuwang Club
On the night of September 21, 2008, a fire erupted at the Wuwang Club in Shenzhen, China, just before midnight. The blaze claimed 43 lives and left 88 others injured. The cause, as with many similar tragedies, was the reckless use of indoor pyrotechnics, which ignited flammable ceiling materials. The fire caused a power outage, plunging the club into darkness and triggering panic among the 308 attendees. Poorly lit exits and boarded-up windows hindered escape efforts, leading to many deaths from suffocation and trampling. The club was illegally operated and poorly constructed, a consequence of systemic government corruption.
9. Santika
The Santika Pub was renowned as one of Thailand's most vibrant nightclubs, attracting young locals and international visitors for music and entertainment. It featured a spacious dance floor, a stage, and mezzanine levels overlooking the main area. On January 1, 2009, over a thousand guests gathered to celebrate New Year's Eve and bid farewell to the club, which was set to close and move to a new location. That night, a popular local band named “Burn” performed. Tragically, during their set, pyrotechnics were launched as part of the show, sending sparks toward the ceiling. Surviving footage captured at 12:15 AM shows sparks falling onto the dance floor, with both the band and audience members noticing the growing fire above.
The fire was reported to police at 12:20 AM, but firefighters were not alerted until 12:40 AM, arriving at 12:48 AM. In the 33 minutes between the pyrotechnics and the fire department's arrival, flames engulfed the building. Hundreds attempted to escape from balconies to the main entrance, only to find it blocked by others fleeing from the ground floor. A power outage and falling debris worsened the chaos, leading to a partial roof collapse. The fire claimed 66 lives and injured 229, marking it as Thailand's deadliest nightclub fire. Investigations revealed that the pyrotechnics ignited ceiling insulation, while overcrowding and an inadequate entrance hindered evacuation efforts, with most fatalities occurring at the entrance.
8. Happy Land
The Happy Land fire stands apart from other nightclub fires on this list as it was an act of arson. Similar to many other venues, however, the Happy Land building was an unlicensed “social club” constructed with highly flammable materials. It had been shut down previously for fire safety violations, and its exits were blocked to prevent unpaid entry. The tragedy occurred on March 25, 1990, in New York City, claiming 87 lives—68 on the second floor and the rest on the first floor, including 11 who perished in a first-floor restroom. Most victims were of Honduran descent.
The fire was ignited by Julio González, an unemployed Cuban refugee, who sought revenge after being thrown out of the club following an argument with his ex-girlfriend, a club employee. In a fit of rage, González returned with gasoline, which he poured on the club's sole staircase and set ablaze using matches. The flames rapidly consumed the flammable entryway materials and spread to the first-floor bar through an open door. Unlike many nightclub fires, the Happy Land building had a partial sprinkler system on the second floor, but it failed to activate fully and was insufficient to control the fire that originated on the first floor.
7. Ozone Disco Club
The Ozone Disco Club, situated in Quezon City, Philippines, became the site of a devastating fire on March 18, 1996, shortly after midnight. The club, designed for a maximum of 35 occupants, was crammed with around 390 people at the time. The blaze claimed 162 lives and injured 95 others, marking it as the deadliest fire in Philippine history. Most victims were young high school and college students celebrating a graduation. The fire likely originated from sparks, possibly due to a short circuit in the DJ booth. Initially mistaken for part of the show, the smoke and sparks quickly turned into chaos as flames engulfed the club, causing the mezzanine to collapse.
Bodies were found piled waist-high near the single exit, which was obstructed by a neighboring building and reportedly locked by guards who mistook the panic for a riot. The club lacked proper fire exits, contributing to the high death toll. The building, left in ruins, is rumored to be haunted and remains standing to this day.
6. Club Cinq-Sept
Located near Saint-Laurent-du-Pont in southeastern France, the Club Cinq-Sept caught fire on November 1, 1970, around 1:40 AM, likely due to a carelessly discarded match. Of the 180 patrons inside, 146 perished, most of whom were under 30, including many teenagers. The club, popular among the youth, was constructed with highly flammable materials like polyurethane and papier-mâché. The fire began in the upper gallery and spread rapidly, blocking the main exit after 30 people escaped. Two other exits were locked and unmarked. Tragically, all six members of the band Storm, performing that night, lost their lives.
5. Beverly Hills Supper Club
The Beverly Hills Supper Club fire ranks as the third deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history, occurring on May 28, 1977, during Memorial Day weekend. The tragedy claimed 165 lives and injured over 200. Located in Southgate, Kentucky, the club was a premier destination, attracting top entertainers from Las Vegas, Hollywood, and New York. On the night of the fire, singer and actor John Davidson was performing. The venue, a popular hotspot since 1937, had undergone multiple expansions, resulting in a maze-like structure of rooms, corridors, and service areas connected by narrow passageways.
Over 3,000 guests and staff were inside the club that evening. The Cabaret Room, hosting the main show, was packed with more than 1,300 patrons, while others filled restaurants, bars, and private party rooms. The fire began between 8:30 and 9:00 PM in the Zebra Room, which had held a wedding reception earlier. Waitresses discovered the blaze around 9:00 PM, but attempts to extinguish it failed. The exact cause remains unclear, though faulty aluminum wiring is suspected to have played a role.
At 9:08 PM, busboy Walter Bailey interrupted the Cabaret Room show, urging patrons to evacuate and directing them to the exits. Many heeded his warning, escaping through the designated exits. Bailey was later recognized as a hero, receiving accolades and a letter from President Jimmy Carter. Despite the praise, Bailey struggled with the title, questioning for years whether he had done enough to save lives.
At 9:10 PM, thick smoke filled the Cabaret Room, followed by flames that rapidly consumed the space. Those who hadn’t evacuated in time panicked, and many were later found dead near the main entrance. The fire spread so quickly that evacuating the large, overcrowded building became impossible.
Firefighters focused their efforts on the Cabaret Room, where many were trapped, but by midnight, the roof had collapsed, leaving little hope for finding more survivors. John Davidson escaped through a newly constructed door near the dressing room, and his road manager also survived. Tragically, his musical director did not make it out.
4. República Cromañón
The República Cromañón nightclub, located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, caught fire on December 30, 2004, due to the unsafe use of pyrotechnics. The fireworks ignited flammable materials, including a plastic ceiling net and foam decorations. Teddy bear stuffing, used as a cheap alternative to fire-resistant materials, also contributed to the blaze. Around 3,000 people were inside when the fire broke out, resulting in 194 deaths and 714 injuries. The rock band Callejeros was performing that night, and despite warnings from the club owner and the band’s lead singer against using flares, the tragedy unfolded. Four of the six exits, including fire exits, were chained shut to prevent unpaid entry, trapping many inside. Most victims succumbed to toxic fumes, smoke, and carbon monoxide, while the band members managed to escape.
3. The Station
The Station nightclub fire is one of the most infamous nightclub disasters in recent history, largely due to the widespread video footage capturing the tragedy. The fire occurred on February 20, 2003, at 11:07 PM in West Warwick, Rhode Island, during a performance by the popular band Great White. The blaze claimed 100 lives, making it the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. The fire started when pyrotechnics, ignited by Great White’s tour manager, set fire to highly flammable soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling. Within just 5½ minutes, the club was engulfed in flames, injuring 230 people, while 132 managed to escape.
The video footage reveals how rapidly the fire spread, trapping many inside. Initially, patrons mistook the flames for part of the show, continuing to celebrate as the ceiling burned. Twenty seconds into the band’s first song, lead singer Jack Russell paused and calmly remarked, “Wow…this ain’t good.” Within a minute, the stage was fully ablaze. Most band members escaped through a nearby exit, but the fire alarm’s activation triggered a chaotic rush toward the main entrance. Unfamiliar with the club’s layout, many headed for the entrance, creating a deadly bottleneck in the narrow hallway. Dozens were crushed, suffocated, or overcome by toxic fumes. Among the victims was Great White’s lead guitarist, Ty Longley. The fire was recorded by Brian Butler, a cameraman for WPRI-TV, who was filming a segment on nightclub safety following the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago just four days earlier.
2. Cocoanut Grove
The deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history occurred at the Cocoanut Grove in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 28, 1942, during World War II. The club was packed with military personnel, their guests, and locals, resulting in 492 deaths and hundreds of injuries. This tragedy ranks as the second-worst single-building fire in American history, surpassed only by the 1903 Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago. The disaster dominated national headlines, temporarily overshadowing the war, and prompted nationwide reforms in fire safety regulations and building codes.
That evening, the Cocoanut Grove was overcrowded with around 1,000 people, far exceeding its capacity of 460. Similar to the Rhythm Nightclub fire two years prior, the venue was decorated with highly flammable materials, including paper palm trees, cloth draperies, and other decorations that obscured exit signs. These hazardous materials contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
The fire began around 10:15 PM in the basement when Stanley Tomaszewski, a 16-year-old busboy, was asked to fix a lightbulb unscrewed by a couple seeking privacy. While attempting to reinsert the bulb, he lit a match to see the socket. Moments later, flames erupted in the artificial palm fronds hanging above the tables, igniting nearby decorations.
The fire rapidly spread through the palm fronds, walls, and ceiling, reaching the main floor within minutes. Patrons’ hair caught fire, oxygen was depleted, and a fireball erupted across the dance floor. The blaze engulfed the entire nightclub in just five minutes, spreading to adjacent rooms.
Many tried to escape through the main entrance, a single revolving door, which quickly jammed under the weight of the panicked crowd. The door became impassable, trapping people inside and out. Firefighters had to dismantle the door to access the building, where they found piles of bodies.
External doors had been welded shut to stop patrons from leaving without settling their bills. A large glass window, which could have served as an emergency exit, was boarded up and inaccessible. Other doors, though unlocked, opened inward, making them ineffective against the surge of people trying to flee. Fire officials later stated that if these doors had opened outward, at least 300 lives might have been saved.
1. Rhythm Night Club
The two deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history occurred around the start of World War II. The second deadliest, the Rhythm Night Club fire, took place on April 23, 1940, just 18 months before Pearl Harbor. Located in Natchez, Mississippi, the fire claimed the lives of 209 African-American attendees and left many others severely injured.
The fire began around 11:30 PM as the Moneywasters Social Club enjoyed a performance of “Clarinet Lullaby” by Walter Barnes and His Royal Creolians orchestra. The blaze started near the main entrance and rapidly consumed the building. Flammable Spanish moss, used as decoration, released methane gas when burned, intensifying the fire. With windows boarded up to block outsiders, over 300 people struggled to escape. Most succumbed to smoke inhalation or were trampled in the chaos. Bandleader Barnes and nine of his band members perished, with only three surviving, one of whom vowed never to play music again. The fire’s cause remains unknown but is believed to have been accidental, possibly due to a discarded match or cigarette.
+ Lame Horse Club
The tragedies of the Station and Santika Pub fires failed to influence safety practices in Perm, Russia. On December 5, 2009, the Lame Horse Night Club hosted a party to mark its 8th anniversary, attended by over 280 guests. Around 1:00 AM, as the event was being recorded, a pyrotechnic device was ignited. The club had previously used similar fireworks, but this time, the sparks set fire to the low ceiling, made of plastic and dry willow twigs. Initially, the crowd mistook the flames for part of the show, and the host continued the festivities. However, footage soon captured the fire spreading across the ceiling and walls. The host then urged everyone to evacuate. While some found their way out through a rear exit, it was poorly lit and unfamiliar to most.
The majority rushed toward the main entrance, but one of the double doors was sealed, slowing the escape. Panic ensued as people pushed through the narrow opening, with many perishing just feet from safety. Others smashed windows to flee, inadvertently feeding the fire with oxygen. The blaze claimed 153 lives, most from carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation, while many others suffered severe burns and are still undergoing treatment. This fire stands as Russia’s deadliest since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, caused by the ignition of highly flammable ceiling materials by the pyrotechnics.
