Happy Land (film)

Happy Land Social Club fire in Bronx WNBC 3/25/90

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• published: 25 Mar 2014
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This is the WNBC News 4 New York account from March 25, 1990 of the catastrophic fire at the Happy Land Social Club on Southern Blvd. near Tremont Avenue in the Bronx that killed 87 people, one of the worst fire disasters in New York's history. The cause was an act of arson by a jilted lover out for revenge against his ex-girlfriend. Most of the dead died from asphyxiation after the flames sucked the oxygen out of the second floor of the building, which had no windows and no fire exit. The 15-minute account covers as many aspects of the fire and its aftermath as were known at the time. Mayor David Dinkins is seen visiting the scene and giving a press conference afterwards. The news anchors are Ralph Penza and Carol Jenkins, while the reporters covering the event include David Diaz at the scene of the fire interviewing eyewitnesses and relatives of the victims; John Miller at the 48th Precinct; Mary Civiello interviewing relatives of the victims at P.S. 67 near the site of the fire and covering the aftermath from the City Morgue; and Gabe Pressman at City Hall. No mention is made of the fact that the dead were mostly from a growing Honduran immigrant community in the neighborhood. I used to work down the block from the Happy Land so this disaster hit close to home for me. I am uploading this on the 24th anniversary of the fire, which took place on the 79th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. I've also uploaded the WABC Eyewitness News report from the same date.