Blue Bird Café fire
Encyclopedia
The Blue Bird Café fire was a nightclub
fire
on September 1, 1972 in Montreal
, Canada
. In all, 37 people were killed as a result of the arson
.
Montreal’s Blue Bird Café and the Wagon Wheel, a country and western bar above it, were located on the west side of Union Street between Ste-Catherine Ouest and Dorchester (now René-Lévesque) in downtown Montreal, lying within the borough of Ville-Marie. The cafe and bar were known as places where largely working-class
, English-speaking youth could come for an evening of music, dancing, and drinking.
On the evening of Friday, September 1, 1972, the beginning of the Labour Day weekend, more than 200 people were at the bar celebrating. Around 10:45 PM, three young men (initial reports said four) were refused entry to the upstairs bar, as they appeared excessively intoxicated. Upset by this, the men set a fire
on the staircase that served as the only regular entrance or exit for the Wagon Wheel's customers. "It was either a Molotov cocktail
or gasoline spread on the stairs and then ignited," said Montreal Police
Inspector Armand Chaille. The entire bar was in flames within a few minutes, according to police.
With the primary escape route blocked by the fire advancing upward toward the crowded bar, its patrons sought out other exits. However, conflicting city building code
s and fire regulations had left the upstairs bar with too few fire exits for its capacity of patrons. With the bar's main exit aflame and sole fire exit blocked, patrons were forced to use one of two escape routes: either through the kitchen onto a folding fire escape
or by climbing through a window in the women's restroom and dropping some 20 feet onto a parked car. While it was originally reported that 42 people had died, later investigation determined that 37 people succumbed and perished as smoke and fire overtook the bar.
At its peak, the fire was fought by more than 50 firefighters using more than 20 pieces of equipment. Five firefighters would be injured by smoke inhalation
before the fire was declared out. At the time, the wearing of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) was a relatively new practice and not as common among firefighters as it is today.
The fire was brought under control by 2:30 am, and extinguished by daybreak. With the fire out, recovery operations commenced. Police and firefighters found bodies in the washrooms, huddled in a corner that had no exit, and jammed in a rear section of the club close to a back entrance.
In the aftermath of the fire, regulations throughout Canada were strengthened to provide for more avenues of escape. The three drunken young men who had set the blaze after being refused entry were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment
for their actions. Owing to the blocked fire exit, an attorney for the victims' families proposed a $
9 million civil lawsuit
against the Montreal fire department
, bar owner Leopold Paré, and the building's owner, with the defence led by Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau
. The families eventually accepted a much lower settlement offer of $1,000 to $3,000 per victim.
The fire was the worst in Montreal since 1927, when 77 people perished in the Laurier Palace Theatre Fire
. , no plaque or other memorial marked the site of the fire, now a parking lot.
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
on September 1, 1972 in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In all, 37 people were killed as a result of the arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
.
Montreal’s Blue Bird Café and the Wagon Wheel, a country and western bar above it, were located on the west side of Union Street between Ste-Catherine Ouest and Dorchester (now René-Lévesque) in downtown Montreal, lying within the borough of Ville-Marie. The cafe and bar were known as places where largely working-class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
, English-speaking youth could come for an evening of music, dancing, and drinking.
On the evening of Friday, September 1, 1972, the beginning of the Labour Day weekend, more than 200 people were at the bar celebrating. Around 10:45 PM, three young men (initial reports said four) were refused entry to the upstairs bar, as they appeared excessively intoxicated. Upset by this, the men set a fire
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
on the staircase that served as the only regular entrance or exit for the Wagon Wheel's customers. "It was either a Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
or gasoline spread on the stairs and then ignited," said Montreal Police
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal is the police force for the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. With about 4,400 officers and 1,600 civilian staff, it is the second largest municipal police agency in Canada after the Toronto Police Service and second largest in the province behind the...
Inspector Armand Chaille. The entire bar was in flames within a few minutes, according to police.
With the primary escape route blocked by the fire advancing upward toward the crowded bar, its patrons sought out other exits. However, conflicting city building code
Building code
A building code, or building control, is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and nonbuilding structures. The main purpose of building codes are to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to the...
s and fire regulations had left the upstairs bar with too few fire exits for its capacity of patrons. With the bar's main exit aflame and sole fire exit blocked, patrons were forced to use one of two escape routes: either through the kitchen onto a folding fire escape
Fire escape
A fire escape is a special kind of emergency exit, usually mounted to the outside of a building or occasionally inside but separate from the main areas of the building. It provides a method of escape in the event of a fire or other emergency that makes the stairwells inside a building inaccessible...
or by climbing through a window in the women's restroom and dropping some 20 feet onto a parked car. While it was originally reported that 42 people had died, later investigation determined that 37 people succumbed and perished as smoke and fire overtook the bar.
At its peak, the fire was fought by more than 50 firefighters using more than 20 pieces of equipment. Five firefighters would be injured by smoke inhalation
Smoke inhalation
Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of death in victims of indoor fires.Smoke inhalation injury refers to injury due to inhalation or exposure to hot gaseous products of combustion. This can cause serious respiratory complications....
before the fire was declared out. At the time, the wearing of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) was a relatively new practice and not as common among firefighters as it is today.
The fire was brought under control by 2:30 am, and extinguished by daybreak. With the fire out, recovery operations commenced. Police and firefighters found bodies in the washrooms, huddled in a corner that had no exit, and jammed in a rear section of the club close to a back entrance.
In the aftermath of the fire, regulations throughout Canada were strengthened to provide for more avenues of escape. The three drunken young men who had set the blaze after being refused entry were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
for their actions. Owing to the blocked fire exit, an attorney for the victims' families proposed a $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
9 million civil lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against the Montreal fire department
Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal
Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal is responsible for fire and rescue operations in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. EMS first-response has been available in limited areas since 1976 and to the entire service area since 2009.-History:...
, bar owner Leopold Paré, and the building's owner, with the defence led by Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau
Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
. The families eventually accepted a much lower settlement offer of $1,000 to $3,000 per victim.
The fire was the worst in Montreal since 1927, when 77 people perished in the Laurier Palace Theatre Fire
Laurier Palace Theatre Fire
The Laurier Palace Theatre fire, sometimes known as the Saddest fire or the Laurier Palace Theatre crush, was a small fire that occurred in a movie theatre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on Sunday, January 9, 1927. The fire — reportedly caused by a discarded cigarette smouldering beneath wooden...
. , no plaque or other memorial marked the site of the fire, now a parking lot.