Happy Land Social Club Fire

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Happy Land Social Club fire that occurred in the morning of March 25, 1990 and took the lives of eighty seven people. The paper describes the building and the arsonist and the reasons why the fire was so deadly. It discusses the investigation that was conducted and the reasons why those who were found guilty, were held liable.

Table of Contents:
Happy Land Social Club - the Building
The Arsonist
The Investigation

From the Paper:

"The immediate identification of the arsonist, Julio Gonzales, was made possible by conducting a thorough on-site investigation and numerous witness interviews. The most difficult part in this investigation was identifying who should have been liable, given that the person who owned the building did not operate the club. In the end, both the leaser and the operator of the club, Alex diLorenzo and Jay Weiss, respectively, were both held responsible. The aggravation caused by such an investigation and fire would not have happened if the authorities themselves were more rigid when it came to closing down illegal establishments. No one would have been a victim of this tragic fire."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Blumenthal, R. (27 March 1990). "Fire in the Bronx; portrait emerges of suspect in social club blaze." The New York Times. [Online.] Retrieved 18 June 2008 from the Web site: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE3DC1131F934A15750C0A966958260
• Bukowski, R. W., and Spetzler, R. C. (1992). "Analysis of the Happyland Social Club Fire with HAZARD I." Fire and Arson Investigator, 42(3): 36-47. [Online.] Retrieved 18 June 2008 from the Web site: http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/fire92/PDF/f92041.pdf
• Gado, M. (2007). "A River of Tears: Happy Land." Crime Library. [Online.] Retrieved 20 June 2008 from the Web site: http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/mass/happyland/scene_4.html
• Hernandez, R. (7 July 1995). "Survivors call settlement 'unjust.'" The New York Times. [Online.] Retrieved 20 June 2008 from the Web site: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEED61130F934A35754C0A963958260
• Hevesi, D. (7 May 1992). "Leaseholder admits violation in Happy Land Nightclub Fire." The New York Times. [Online.] Retrieved 19 June 2008 from the Web site: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6DF1630F934A35756C0A964958260&scp=1&sq=%22happy%20land%20social%20club%22%20%22community%20service%22&st=cse

More papers on Happy Land Social Club Fire:

• Research Paper # 26293 : "Fires in Public Places"
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