Deadliest/large-loss fires

The 20 deadliest single-building or complex fires and explosions in U.S. history

Rank	Event	Date	Number of deaths
1	The World Trade Center New York, NY	September 11, 2001	2,666
2	Iroquois Theater Chicago, IL	December 30, 1903	602
3	Cocoanut Grove night club (PDF, 2.5 MB) Boston, MA Members: read NFPA's fire investigation report on this incident (PDF, 6.3 MB).	November 28, 1942	492
4	Ohio State Penitentiary Columbus, OH	April 21, 1930	320
5	Consolidated School gas explosion (PDF, 826 KB) New London, TX	March 18, 1937	294
6	Conway's Theater Brooklyn, NY	December 5, 1876	285
7	Rhythm Club Natchez, MS	April 23, 1940	207
8	Lakeview Grammar School (PDF, 585 KB) Collinwood, OH	March 4, 1908	175
9	Rhodes Opera House Boyertown, PA	January 12, 1908	170
10a	Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus Hartford, CT All visitors: Read a free overview (PDF, 623 KB) from NFPA's The Quarterly, July 1944.	July 6, 1944	168
10b	Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building Oklahoma City, OK Members: read NFPA's fire investigation report on this incident (PDF, 9.4 MB) Free summary in English (PDF, 238 KB) and Spanish (PDF, 7 KB)	April 19, 1995	168
12	Beverly Hills Supper Club Southgate, KY Members: read NFPA's fire investigation report on this incident (PDF, 7.3 MB).	May 28, 1977	165
13	Triangle Shirtwaist Company (PDF, 860 KB) New York, NY	March 25, 1911	146
14	Eddystone Ammunition Company plant explosion Eddystone, PA	April 10, 1917	133
15	Cleveland Clinic Hospital (PDF, 351 KB) Cleveland, OH	May 15, 1929	125
16	Winecoff Hotel (PDF, 1.6 MB) Atlanta, GA	December 7, 1946	119
17	The Station Nightclub W. Warwick, RI More about safety in nightclubs and assembly occupancies.	February 20, 2003	100
18	Our Lady of the Angels School Chicago, IL All visitors: Read a free overview (PDF, 623 KB) from NFPA's The Quarterly, January 1959 (PDF, 1 MB)	December 1, 1958	95
19	Happy Land Social Club New York, NY Members: read NFPA's alert bulletin on this incident (PDF, 247 KB).	March 25, 1990	87
20	MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada NFPA members: Read NFPA's fire investigation report for free. (PDF, 7 MB)	November 21, 1980	85

Source: NFPA archive files, 1984 Fire Alamanac, and The Great International Disaster Book by James Cornell, Pocket Books New York, 1976.

Disclaimer: Death tolls are based on information in NFPA’s records. Please contact us at osds@nfpa.org to provide any updated information.

Updated: 3/08

			Largest loss wildland fires in the U.S.

			Deadliest hospital fires in the U.S.

			Deadliest incidents in the U.S. resulting in the deaths of 8 or more firefighters

			Deadliest fires in the U.S. with 5 or more firefighter deaths at the fire ground

			Largest fire losses in U.S. history

			Deadliest fires and explosions in U.S. history

			Deadliest fires or explosions in the world of all time, excluding bombings and wartime attacks

			Deadliest single-building or complex fires and explosions in U.S. history

			Top ten largest-loss educational structure fires

			U.S. school fires, grades K-12, with 10 or more deaths

			Deadliest fires and explosions in U.S. history by property class

			Deadliest public assembly and nightclub fires

			Deadliest fires in facilities for older adults

			Top ten deadliest prison fires in the United States