| 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
Boston, MA
Members: read NFPA's fire investigation report on this incident
|
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
|
April 19, 1995 |
168 |
| 12 |
Beverly Hills Supper Club
Southgate, KY
Members: read NFPA's fire investigation report on this incident |
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
|
March 25, 1990 |
87 |
| 20 |
MGM Grand Hotel
Las Vegas, Nevada
NFPA members: Read NFPA's fire investigation report for free. |
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