BEVERLY HILLS SUPPER CLUB 5-28-77 The fire that swept through the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, on May 28, 1977, killed 162 and injured more than 100, including several firefighters. Employees discovered the fire at 8:45 p.m. Investigators believe the fire was started by an electrical short and apparently had burned inside a heavily plastered wall of the plush club`s Zebra Room for more than an hour before it was noticed .... The split-level building was divided into a number of large and small dining rooms, 18 private party rooms, bars, and the large Cabaret nightclub. A maze of narrow corridors interconnecting the rooms made exits difficult to locate. The building had been doubled in size after it was destroyed by fire in 1970. State codes at that time did not require sprinklers or fire detection systems--and none was installed. The club also had a 3-foot air space between the ceiling and roof, which concealed air ducts and the unprotected steel roof supports. Exterior construction was concrete block and brick. As Southgate Chief Richard Riesenberg arrived at the club`s main entrance, he saw gray smoke coming from the roof and eaves and hundreds of panicky people running out of the building. These observations led him to believe the fire was centered in the area of the club`s main bar and [he] directed his initial attack with that thought in mind U. Stampeding occupants prevented crews from advancing lines into the main entrance. Heavy black smoke poured from the front of the building, driving back the crews. The crews reported that they could find no fire. Handlines were abandoned to effect rescues. Additional pumpers, a rescue squad, and ambulances were special-called. Conditions quickly grew worse at the Cabaret Room exits. Panic set in. Occupants scrambled out of the building as heavy black smoke began to vent from the [southside] exits. A steep hill bordering this side of the building made it difficult to place apparatus and maintain footing. People escaping from the south exit door began to collapse; they stumbled on the steps and fell down the steep hillside. Suddenly, the flow stopped. Wearing self-contained breathing apparatus, fire fighters entered the south exit and found it blocked by bodies. The fire fighters quickly began to move these victims outside, where other fire fighters worked frantically to revive those overcome by smoke and heat. An additional 20 to 30 persons were removed before intense heat drove fire fighters out. Much the same conditions prevailed at the Cabaret Room`s north exit. Here, too, fire fighters found the exit blocked by fallen bodies overcome by intense heat and smoke U. In the front of the building, the aerial ladder has been raised into position to start ventilation. Fire fighters ascending the ladder found a heavy black column of smoke, flame-tinted at the base, rising 100 feet into the twilight sky. Flames were already through the center section of the roof. A ladder pipe operation was then set up. At one point, flames were shooting 100 feet into the night air. The Campbell County disaster plan was activated. At 12:05 a.m., the north wall of the Cabaret Room caved in. At 12:25, the east wall fell outward, almost hitting several firefighters. The fire was under control at 2 a.m. Firefighters searching the building`s remains the next day found 26 bodies within the vicinity of the Cabaret Room. All victims were burned beyond recognition. Two more bodies were recovered from another area two days later. The last victim (162) died in a hospital.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 11:15:50 +0000
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