BY BOBBY HALTON
Someone once told me that a lie can make it halfway around the world before the truth has even gotten out of bed. For example, we all know why the Titanic sank; it was because of the neglect of Captain Smith and the overconfident designers of the shipshe was called “unsinkable.” Poor seamanship, arrogance, and one large iceberg, and you’ve got the explanation for the deaths of 1,523 people. But not so fast. A new book recently released tells us that the Titanic really sank so quickly because she was built with a poorly designed hull and a weak expansion joint.
Why the Titanic sank in two hours and broke into two sections while similar ships of her day with the same amount of damage would have been able to safely return to port or stay afloat for days has remained a mystery for almost 100 years. Crossing the Atlantic faster meant making more money; building the Titanic correctly would’ve made her heavier and slower. And so now we know, it was greed, a random iceberg, a fast ship, a dark night, and a bad design that claimed 1,523 lives. Unfortunately, it took us almost 100 years to figure it out … or did it?
Similarly, every firefighter knows the story of May 28, 1977, when a nightclub located in Southgate, Kentucky, was the scene of one of the largest losses of life in the history of the American fire service. The Beverly Hills Supper Club was a premier destination for people to socialize, dine, and be entertained. The tragedy of 165 deaths led to significant advances in building and fire codes, particularly for places of assembly.
The fire also resulted in a major lawsuit, in which a variety of manufacturers paid millions in restitution for the faulty electrical wiring that started the fire. The question for us today is, was that faulty wiring really the “iceberg” that began the fire, or were more sinister forces at work that night? Some revelations brought forward by persons who were actually there that night demand a reopening of the investigation. They contend that they made statements detailing activities within the restaurant before the fire that were suspicious and possibly the work of arsonists. Allegedly, club owners were being pressured to sell; however, they were not interested, and the fire may have been the result of their refusal to cooperate.
The fire ignited inside the Zebra Room. Dave Brock, a Beverly Hills Supper Club employee, and others told police that they had seen men identified as air-conditioning technicians working in the Zebra Room and that when they approached these individuals, they were told to mind their own business. Witnesses stated the men were seen removing a chandelier in the room and wiping the walls with an unknown substance.
A telephone company employee and volunteer firefighter who saved many people that night was wiring the building in the days before the fire and encountered these same individuals. The fire quickly spread into the Cabaret Room, where many were trapped and died. The Beverly Hills Supper Club did not meet all of the exit requirements we have today; this fire actually inspired many of today’s regulations. Unfortunately for 165 people inside the club on the evening of May 28, 1977, these advancements came at the cost of their lives.
There were many heroes that night who helped to evacuate hundreds of people. What was surprising to investigators was that there were so many people who, although they were not required to help, nonetheless did at the risk of their own lives. The speed of the fire spread was also a surprise to the investigators and responding firefighters. This is one of our first major fires involving a large amount of synthetics, cellular foam plastics, and other modern furnishings.
In 1977, fire investigators did not have the tools that we have today. In particular, NFPA 921, Guide to Fire and Explosion Investigations, did not exist. Today, major flaws have been exposed after a recent review of this fire by a variety of fire experts; many of them have organized a group called the Beverly Hills Supper Club Survivors for Justice, on Fire Engineering’s Community Web site. These flaws include destruction of the suspected area of origin within a day of the fire: The Zebra Room, where many believe the fire started in the ceiling, was bucket loaded with a crane two days after the fire and dumped in the parking lot.
There seems to have been a rush to judgment. It appears that arson was quickly ruled out despite the fact that three people saw men working in the room right before the fire. The physical evidence that formed the basis for blaming the fire on electrical equipment, a section of aluminum wiring found in storage years after the fire, lacks credibility under modern accepted fire investigation practices. NFPA 921 was created to bring science to the field of fire investigation in reaction to investigations such as the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire.
Victims, victims’ families, and survivors have posed many questions that are still unanswered. They are trying to build a memorial at Fort Thomas, an armory used as the morgue that night. We firefighters are compelled to support this effort. And then there’s the issue of 165 souls who, from beyond the grave, are crying for truth. Remember how I said it took 100 years to learn why the Titanic sank so quickly? Well, researchers have found out that the men who built the Titanic knew immediately exactly why she sank so quickly but kept quiet. We have victims and responders to the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire who are demanding this investigation be reopened.
On October 24, 2008, Kentucky Governor Steven L. Beshear issued a statement directing a review of the fire by three attorneys, beginning the process. It has been 31 years. It’s time we answered the lingering but necessary questions; it’s time to reexamine the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire. It’s time for the truth for 165 Americans and their loved ones.
