The Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror

"On the 31st of December, 1986, patrons gambling in the casino of the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico noticed a light haze of smoke in the air..."
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Background
03:21 - The Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire
08:03 - The Investigation
MUSIC:
► "Glass Pond" by Public Memory
► "Underworld" by Myuu
SOURCES:
► “Three in Teamsters Union Charged in Hotel Fire” published by the LA Times, February 1988. Link: www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
► “Dupont Plaza Fire Survivors Still Trying to Come to Terms with Tragedy” by Joan Mower, published by the LA Times, March 1987. Link: www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
► “An Engineering analysis of the early stages of fire development - The Fire at the Dupont Plaza Hotel and Casino” by Harold E Nelson, published by the NIST, May 1987. Available via: www.nist.gov/publications/eng...
► “Three sentenced in San Juan Hotel Fire That Killed 97” published by The Washington Post, June 1987. Link: www.washingtonpost.com/archiv...
► “Governor Praises heros of Dupont Plaza fire” by Irene Garzon Fernandez, published by UPI, January 1987. Link: www.upi.com/Archives/1987/01/...
► “Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire: San Juan, Puerto Rico - December 31, 1986” by Thomas J Klem, published by the National Fire Protection Association. Available via: archive.org/stream/dupontplaz...
​​​​​​​#Documentary​​​​ #History​​​​​​​​​ #TrueStories​

[@ironmaidentragic]

How many times do you hear the words "Doors were locked to prevent theft" in these videos. How many have died due to these theft preventing measures around the world.

[@cath4566]

Worrying more about theft than safety really says a lot

[@michaelpipkin9942]

Loss prevention...

[@rainecormier2935]

It's ridiculous that American hotels would still be locking doors after the Triangle Shirt Waist Factory disaster. What do they expect to happen in an emergency OTHER than tragedy?

[@bakomusha]

@@rainecormier2935 A single dollar is worth a million dead in the eyes of corporate America.

[@sheepkind]

far, far too many

[@bobblebardsley]

Man you can really play Fascinating Horror Bingo on this one. Furniture fire started deliberately by disgruntled employees, casino/ballroom more full than usual, people initially ignored the fire, no staff training on fire procedures, locked emergency exits, only one unlocked exit, crush at the only open door, guests forced to jump from windows, it goes on and on. I feel like 1986 isn't even that early compared to some of the very similar incidents already on this channel, they really didn't learn the lessons from those huh.

[@breakthru7608]

The only things I’ve got left on my bingo card is that ‘the designers called it unsinkable’ 😂

[@bobblebardsley]

@@breakthru7608 9:12 If you look at the left-hand column of the newspaper cutting, "People were still sitting there playing the slots with the smoke swirling around them. It was like the Titanic." 👍

[@reachandler3655]

@@breakthru7608 They'd have been correct, it didn't sink 🙃. You're missing the 'fireproof' and 'earthquake proof'.

[@motherlove202]

@@breakthru7608 You also left out "fire alarms didn't work" or "phones out of order"

[@junkiedropouts3186]

@@motherlove202 "90 minutes into the fire it was discovered nobody had thought to phone the emergency services"

[@g.sergiusfidenas6650]

Props to that pilot that by his own volition came to the rescue, who knows how higher the death toll would had been without him or the efforts of the improvised volunteer team at the rooftop.

[@PetraKann]

Props?

[@antlerman7644]

@@PetraKann kudos, good on him, ect.

[@PetraKann]

@@antlerman7644 Phewww....lucky you cleared that up. That was a close one mate. I was about to panic

[@vanCaldenborgh]

@@PetraKann You must be very frustrated.

[@concernedamerican6961]

Kudos to the pilot for sure but the people on the roof were already safe.

[@dashi7070]

The fact that management locked doors despite small fires having been started in the past is just beyond me, looking doors (possibly fire exits) in general is just such a common cause for many deaths in these situations. Why even install fire exits when you intend to block them?

[@charleneelyce]

I agree, doors that act as an egress, specifically one that open directly outside, should never be locked. Many of them can only be opened from the inside anyway, or don’t even have a handle on the outside. So worrying about someone breaking in wouldn’t be an issue. It’s despicable the amount of deaths caused by precautions taken to prevent theft.

[@scvrlett18]

​@@charleneelyce I think it was more so they had them locked so guests couldn't walk out a side door with a bunch of hotel items

[@chatteyj]

@@charleneelyce Hopefully now such acts have heavy puinshments. Also some fire exits have alarms that trigger when you open them which is a good idea all round I think.

[@annika5893]

You install fire exits to pass the building inspection. Once that's done, you can do whatever, unfortunately. People can be incredibly greedy, self-serving and uncaring of others.

[@raumshen9298]

I think they knew their staff started fires, so makes sense to lock fire exits because those who can set fire, can steal, perhaps that's how they reasoned

[@zacharypeterson6465]

If there’s one thing I learn from these videos is always take the first “minor” signs (like the light haze of smoke) seriously. If it was just a small fire you can always walk back in and resume what you were doing, but don’t let NORMALCY BIAS get you killed! RIP all the victims

[@foobarFR]

That's why every person that says "pfff maybe it's a false alarm, don't listen" deserves to be kicked in the a**. If the alarm rings, everybody OUT. plain and simple.

[@karenvanhook6748]

That is a lesson I've taken from these videos as well, and shared with others. It seems as if there are always a few people noticing smoke or yelling "Fire!" and other people saying "Oh, I'm sure it's nothing." The latter group is almost never included among the survivors. Lesson learnt -- at the first hint of trouble, clear out and *then* assess whether it was nothing.

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

It can't have helped here that the casino most likely got smoky under normal circumstances.

[@warailawildrunner5300]

I will say as someone who was trapped in a fire, like the people on balconies here, if you ever experienced something like this, even the smell of smoke will get you alarmed. Never ever discount the smell, until you know where it is coming from. (note, like those on the balconies, I was safe, but the fear is indescribable.. )

[@zacharypeterson6465]

@@warailawildrunner5300 wow, thank you for sharing! Glad you lived to tell the tale

[@mparis130]

My grandfather was one of the fire chiefs who responded to this fire. Soon after, he retired on medical disability due to the PTSD he suffered. He very rarely spoke of it, but I do remember him seeing people jumping out of the Twin Towers on 9/11 and mentioning how some guests of the Dupont Plaza did the same. That horror really stuck with him for the rest of his life.

[@charlesdial7152]

I don't think people are suppose to witness other's jumping from high places and blowing there heads off..etc! This is why alot of folks come back from war's all messed up; a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

[@alienvomitsex]

@@charlesdial7152 War, and a lack of safety measures, only benefit rich elites at the cost of human life.

[@doodlecharmz]

😳

[@AnnaSoll99]

Heartbreaking to hear this. While I researched what happened in this hotel I automatically remembered 9/11 😢

[@stars660]

Heartbreak!

[@evamiller4886]

The receptionist who stayed at their desk in a burning building to make evacuation calls was quite the hero

[@patriciayoung3267]

Thank you for covering this disaster. Someone I knew died in the fire. She was found in the casino by the doorway. All she wanted was a relaxing getaway and found death instead. Very sad for everyone involved.

[@carloscortes5570]

I also met two young ladies after the fire that came from the states to deal with the court procedures and insurance claims since both her parents didn't survived.

[@lifewuzonceezr]

Sorry for your loss

[@knightpg3d162]

Sorry for your loss

[@strix3688]

that's depressing...

[@Heinz-bx8sd]

Going to a casino for relaxing? And nothing of value was lost.

[@x-teveo]

Hey Fascinating Horror, This donation might not be much, but just wanted to get your attention. I cannot express how happy I am to finally see this story be covered. When I had initially suggested this tragic event, not only was it because I was deeply fascinated by the way you presented these stories, but also because the mother of a close relative of mine was a victim and survivor on this tragic event. She was in the casino at the moment of the fire and had to break and jump through the 2nd story window in order to escape. Even though she sustained minor injuries and a broken leg, she was able to survive the ordeal. Thank you for documenting and sharing these fascinating horror stories. Sincerely, A big fan.

[@crimsonclover9871]

A huge well done to that private helicopter pilot who took it upon himself to rescue people from the hotel roof. True heroes like him restore my sometimes shaky faith in humanity. Brilliant video as always! Fascinating Horror is one of the best channels on YT!

[@delanorrosey4730]

The first helicopter was not a private one, but Puerto Rico police helicopter. (The small helicopter sitting on the corner of the roof. The copilot got out and helped organize groups of people so as not to overload the small helicopter's load capacity. Fitness instructor Nick Busey assisted the copilot to ferry and load guests to helicopters.) The SECOND helicopter WAS a private helicopter that followed suit.

[@Arkylie]

Mr. Rogers said his mother always told him to "look for the helpers." In any major disaster, there are always people trying to help. Sheepdogs -- the people who run *toward* the danger, rather than away.

[@hauntedshadowslegacy2826]

@@delanorrosey4730 The private helicopter still was under no obligation to help. Nobody would've sued 'em for continuing on their way. It just so happens that the aviation industry is chock full of people who care about others. When a small plane suffers an engine failure and has to land off-field, nearly any pilot with the time to spare will request directions to the last radar ping. Hell, there's even a news story of an airline pilot talking a two-seater down for a highway landing when they lost radio contact with ATC. Pilots care. When it comes to life or death, pilots care. They know what it's like to be isolated from direct help. The people on the roof were very much isolated.

[@delanorrosey4730]

@@hauntedshadowslegacy2826 When I said "followed suit", I didn't say he sued or was sued. "Following suit" means he done likewise as is the helicopter before him. "Following suit" is a term from card playing. Example: I put down a 7 of Hearts. You or someone else has to put down an 8 of hearts. No 9 of hearts or 8 of spades/clubs/diamonds nor anything else until the 8 of hearts is put down. Get it? I.E. the police helicopter landed on the extreme corner of the roof to pick up evacuees. The private helicopter that followed after the police helicopter was too big to land on the roof, so he hovered next to the building to pick up more evacuees. The larger military Bell/Huey helicopters that came after the private helicopter had an even more difficult time getting next to the building to pick up evacuees.

[@thurayya8905]

It is amazing how much difference even one person who cares can make in a disaster. Just one.

[@Leguminator]

I worked much of my younger years in hotel food service then moved into facilities management for a while where part of my job was monitoring building safety protocols --- capacities, hall widths, obstructions, egress etc. After doing that a couple years I looked back at my hotel food days and remember countless potential death traps. Fire doors propped open, halls blocked with maybe 24 inches of space left, rarely used stairwells completely blocked with storage, boxes piled up blocking smoke & heat detectors, doors opening the wrong way, rooms booked well beyond capacity. I'm grateful I never experienced a disaster.

[@Olhado256]

Makes you wonder how many disasters are just waiting to happen...

[@ATSNorthernMI]

@@Olhado256 All over packing rooms and making money. It's sad that these places will put people's lives at risk to turn a profit.

[@backroomsguideno.87]

Those people on the roof who self organized are top of the humanity chain, we all needa be more like them

[@SockDrawerDemon]

The people volunteering to stay behind in case there was someone that needed them? They deserve every possible reward and honour. True inspirations.

[@maxrheuble2906]

Proof that humanity can be good.

[@dmacrolens]

Needa!?!?!

[@neo-didact9285]

Humans are at their best when everything is at it's worst.

[@mikey_bb]

But I can almost guarantee that given the type of people they were/are, they wouldn't want praise, honour or medals - they'd just be more than satisfied with the fact that they saved lives

[@debbieanne7962]

Don't mess with fire. I nearly lost my life when a candle started a fire in my residence. I was asleep and didn't have a working smoke alarm. Woke up when the ceiling collapsed. I ran out seconds before the house exploded. Lost everything except my life. This was in 2007 and I've recovered. Why would anyone start a fire? Look up the case of Mick Phillpot. Started a fire in his home so he could look like a hero and rescue his children. Didn't happen. He's incarcerated due to the death of his 6 children in the said fire

[@harrynicholes3166]

Life is about Choices.

[@throbbinwoodofcoxley6830]

My puppy almost killed me. She chewed on an electric blanket, then pissed on the chewed area. This caught the mattress foam on fire, I woke up to my cat doing a burnout in my face. I pushed him off me and started to fall back asleep when he jumped on my face again. This time I sat up to chase him out of the room, and I got a breath of that caustic smoke. I barely made it out of the house after unplugging the blanket. I passed out on the porch for a while, that cat saved my life through blind luck. He was trying to get to the slightly opened window above the head of the bed.

[@cramer4506]

>Why would anyone start a fire? As a former Teamsters, this absolutely feels like shit the Teamsters would pull. Said Union is insanely corrupt, and gives not a single ounce of compassion to the people their strategies harm as long as it rakes in further revenue for the Union Bosses.

[@debbieanne7962]

@@cramer4506 who are teamsters? I'm Australian and haven't heard of the term

[@deprofundis3293]

@@throbbinwoodofcoxley6830 wow, incredible story! And who knows, maybe your cat was actually trying to save you intentionally! The cat I grew up with was like that.

[@ckilbarger01]

I appreciate that these videos usually have a bit of positive light. Like a lot of people died but there are now rules/codes in place to try to prevent another tragedy like this

[@rich_edwards79]

Safety regulations are written in blood.

[@sidology1.0]

Every rule is written in blood. E v e r y.

[@DistendedPerinium]

@@rich_edwards79 Not always due to neglect. Sometimes people just don't know about how unsafe a certain thing is.

[@DistendedPerinium]

@@sidology1.0 I'm pretty sure there's safety regulations that are written because someone actually thought things through, not because someone died.

[@mrimmortal1579]

@@DistendedPerinium there is a brand of chainsaw that has the warning “Do NOT attempt to stop moving blades with your hands or genitals” That one wasn’t just thought up. It HAD to come from somewhere 😅😅

[@marvindebot3264]

Can confirm, Marriott go well above and beyond requirments for fire safety. If all chains showed their level of responsibility, almost any deaths in hotel fires would be a thing of the past. Firefighters usually dread the thought of a hotel fire but the chances are if turned out to a fire at a Marriott property it will be out on arrival and certainly the evacuation will be complete and total. As a firefighter (retired) I can not praise them enough.

[@brendanroberts1310]

It's good to see a company putting the health and safety of there workers and customers above profit.

[@TheJingles007]

Thank you, Firefighter Marvin De Bot

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Shill much?

[@PureSniperWolf]

Thank you for your service.

[@Markus_Andrew]

Thank you Marvin for everything you and your fellow fire-fighters do, have done, and will continue to do.

[@shetland990]

I found myself picturing the last moments of horror those people trapped behind that door went through. It's amazing how that diagram detailing where the bodies were found can tell such a profound story.

[@rich_edwards79]

And because of the powerful smoke extraction system in the casino, they all burned to death too **shudders** 😱😱😱

[@DistendedPerinium]

If you have the stomach for it, watch the Station Nightclub fire video. Very similar circumstances and that fire was caught on camera from ignition to building consumption. It's a haunting six minute trip.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

@@DistendedPerinium Every fire safety course I've attended always shows that video as an example of just how fast a fire can spread. It is pretty scary just how fast things can go south.

[@daffers2345]

It looked like a couple of them crawled into a side room, probably seeking an exit. It reminds me of the bodies found at the burned Haunted Castle in NJ. (Fascinating Horror did a good video on that one too.)

[@stonefox2546]

One thing I've learned from this channel is a profound fear of being trapped in a crush. It's a good thing that over here all non-sliding doors are designed to open outwards.

[@jumpingjjonah8088]

Best documentary series on KZbin. So professional.

[@billy2182]

FH and Brief Case are my favorites.

[@petestaint8312]

Agreed!

[@daffers2345]

He is my favorite of the ones I've watched!

[@thetannikat]

Fascinating Horror, Plainly Difficult, and Disturban are my three to-gos

[@The-Clockwork-Eye]

Except...since when was Puerto Rico part of the USA?

[@grapeshot]

They set up for the perfect backdraft. And the description of when that fireball came into the casino it is beyond wow.

[@Aprilsraven629]

The correct term is flash over, the entire rooms ceiling area is ablaze with waves of rolling flames consuming everything until it reaches ignition temperature about 1000 degress then an explosion of these superheated gases occurs igniting everything downwards until it runs of out fuel, air or is extinguished....its frightening to witness first hand and everyone of us fire-fighters dread being caught up in one

[@TRex-fu7bt]

Wow I had never heard of flash over before.

[@rifleman762]

Part of the problem was also the very strong smoke ventilation system that the casino had. Back then smoking was allowed in the casino it actually sucked out most of the smoke that would have alerted the people inside, instead by the time they realized what was happening it was too late. This fire was incredibly hot!

[@neonhomer]

@@Aprilsraven629 Aren't a backdraft and flashover two different things?

[@frayline]

@@neonhomer Yes, backdraft is when oxygen starved fire is suddenly exposed to more oxygen causing it to "explode". Flash over is when a fire is superheating the area around it. Once the area reaches ignition temp it "explodes".

[@nancyjones6780]

The fact that most of the people who died in the casino died from burns is the worst part of the whole incident. Tragic is an understatement! 😥😥😥

[@iluvyurbles]

Burning is one of the most painful and slow ways to die

[@ConWolfDoubleO7]

Something to take away from all these videos is to never doubt your instincts. Even if its a minor fire, just leave. Its always better to be safe than sorry in a situation like this.

[@PureSniperWolf]

Agreed. If the choice must be made, it's better to be a guest at a funeral than the star of it.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

I hear the 3 alarm beeps, and I'm GONE. Don't need to see anything as in running down the stairs (by myself)

[@deborahblackvideoediting8697]

Agreed. I used to work at a non-profit and we received a lot of emergency training. One thing the instructors always repeated was that it is better to evacuate a building (or set off a fire alarm, or take some type of responsive action) and be wrong about the perceived threat, then to just sit there and ignore it - then find out the hard way it was real.

[@nancyaustin9516]

Once again, a casual "It can't happen here" attitude adds unnecessary death and pain to an already sad situation. And you just gave me another reason to stay at Marriott hotels--they're already my usual go-to when traveling.

[@RuminatingWizard]

So you have a "It can't happen here" attitude about Marriott. Noted.

[@samuelschick8813]

@@RuminatingWizard, I feel the heat from that burn all the way over here. No pun intended. LOL

[@syxepop]

@@samuelschick8813 - and all of us in The Island who saw that in our media back then felt that burn to our souls...

[@samuelschick8813]

@@syxepop, Well that went right over your head.

[@gayzell850]

Well, let's hope they also give their employees good wages and benefits so they aren't disgruntled enough to start a fire and put the safety procedures to a true test.

[@vladimirenlow4388]

This is one of the few FH vids I've seen where the disaster was cause by an actual crime rather than simple negligence. But the negligence issues involved made the disaster that much worse.

[@FIDIOT-cringe]

The negligence is every bit as much of a crime. If not more so.

[@ShadowXII]

Doors locked for theft might as well be the center of the Fascinating Horror bingo.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

I vote overcrowded. That's ALWAYS there.

[@leontrotsky7816]

I used to be involved in pay negotiations on the union side at one time, and I have to say that large-scale incidents of arson were not what you'd call standard tactics.

[@charlessaint7926]

In desperate times people's true self is revealed. A pilot happening upon the scene turned into an angel from Heaven. Volunteers staying with the burning building to guide others to safety. They saved a lot of lives by putting their own at risk.

[@jeg5gom]

I lived in Puerto Rico at the time. Needless to say that tragedy captured the attention and outrage of everyone on the island. While much blame was directed at the poor preparation/safeguards on the part of management, the overwhelming wrath of the public was certainly directed at the perpetrators who planned it, outright. For adults in PR, all you have to say is “El Dupont Plaza”, and harsh memories arise. Great video.

[@darkcoeficient]

This is barely talked about in PR and it angers me because I know it is because of the people who caused it and the why they caused it.

[@jiovaniloncarevic]

Were working conditions and pay subpar in these big hotels?

[@jeg5gom]

@@jiovaniloncarevic aaand the point of you question is... justification for the deaths? Go for it, Jiovani.

[@gantz22ify]

@@jiovaniloncarevic You’re right, all those people absolutely deserved to die as collateral damage because of the actions of a few. Go to hell, dude. Go straight to hell.

[@marlened.9795]

Puertorican here. I was born in ‘83, grew up hearing about this, and it is still talked about to this day.

[@prudencepineapple9448]

I remember when this happened. I vividly remember live footage of the people trapped on upper floors. They're images I will never forget. There's a documentary on this as well as another one on a high-rise building fire somewhere in South-America during the 1970s.

[@joaovitorjungblut5225]

Might it be the joelma fire in brazil? That was a pretty big one

[@rosemiller417]

Such sights are horrorfull to witness even over screen. I catched Greenfell Tower Blaze Live.. Many Docs on that too. Wasn't pretty.

[@prudencepineapple9448]

@@joaovitorjungblut5225 I think it's that one.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Stay out of high rises or any floor you can't jump from and expect tp live.

[@_siggi_783]

"Most died from burns rather than smoke inhalation" This is not what you want to hear

[@harrynicholes3166]

💥.

[@motherlove202]

Usually it's vice versa

[@stuartmiller7419]

The lesson that we should ALL take from these fire-related documentaries is that, if you see even the slightest signs of smoke in a public building, you raise the alarm immediately and you get out and tell others to get out. Rather the embarrassment of a false alarm than underestimating tragedy.

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Sadly I can understand people in the casino hesitating at first. Casinos can get pretty damn smokey just from, well, people smoking. Casinos being magnets for chain smokers makes the owners all the dumber for only installing sprinklers in the laundry area, never mind the previous intentional fires

[@boopy6430]

I think what bothers me so much is that fires had been COMMON in that building and despite that, there were still so many mistakes made by the hotel itself. Despite it being a clear case of arson I can't help but think someone on the hotel's end should have taken the fall for what happened as well

[@Ashes719]

It's bizarre that whoever decided that door should be locked did not wind up in prison.

[@alice45-fgd-456drt]

That was my thinking too, I obviously agree that the arsonists should be punished too, but one dude got a life sentence for egging on an arsonist while the people who cared more about preventing theft than preventing death went on with business as usual? Insane tbh.

[@jorgevillavicencio427]

It was our delayed honeymoon and we decided to get as far away from the city and the cold. Though we stayed at the Condado Hilton, my wife and I had lunch at the rooftop restaurant in the Dupont Plaza. We then went to Old San Juan to do some shopping and site seeing. Driving back to Condado, and from our vantage point of view, we thought the fire was at the Hilton. Upon getting closer realized that it was at Dupont Plaza. I didn't go rubbernecking but our balcony had a clear view of what was going on. It wasn't until evening that the report of multiple fatalities was was spoken of in the news. Whenever the wind was blowing in the direction of our hotel we could smell the burnt plastics and just a nasty smell. We left San Juan and spent our last 4 days in Ponce which was absolutely beautiful. Thank you for posting this video. I actually haven't even thought about it in years.

[@sydneypoulin6779]

My dad designs fire sprinkler systems for apartments/hotels. I show him all of your videos regarding fires. He's had to study events like the Station Night Club and Cocoanut Grove fires. This time he had to walk out of the room when he heard that only the laundry room had been sprinkled. Something he likes to say regarding events like this is "Tragedy changes [the fire] code and the code saves lives."

[@nathanwall37]

They died of burns..... my gosh. What a horrifying though. The terror, the crush of people, the screaming. And then the ultimate realization that this is the end. Absolutely chilling. Those poor people.

[@cashkitty3472]

I remember as a young new employee of a bank, they showed us a video of a women working at the bank getting congratulated on her engagement, later in the day the fire alarms went off but the women ignored it thinking it was a false alarm. Then she does from smoke. I was shocked but I always make sure I get out. Ironically at another bank there was a fire on the roof (fire alarms did not go off and it was at fayers house, the exact same site where the great fire of London started!!

[@neonhomer]

I work in construction and we are subject to numerous "false alarms" during testing of the system... and it isn't announced. You'll just be working on something and the system goes off. We have no way of knowing if it is real or not except for some general contractors have an alternate method of alerting a jobsite of an actual emergency by use of an air horn (or similar signaling device). I've been de-sensitized by fire alarms so much I don't even react when I hear them any more... but I am willing to bet if one went off in a hotel I was sleeping in the middle of the night I'd be up and out!

[@daffers2345]

One day at work, the fire alarm lights started flashing in my section, but there was no bell. I had my back turned, and my co-worker pointed it out. I said "Let's go," and the three of us started to leave. As we were walking, a man came over and profusely apologized, saying he was testing the system for a dead light. He said he thought that we wouldn't leave if the bell was off. We had not been told about fire alarm testing. This channel - among other things - has shown me that it's always best to err on the side of caution!

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Just gonna say (as I've repeated countless times before) I'd rather get bitched at for "being silly about it" than die for having "far more ballz than brains"... ;o)

[@colincampbell767]

From my Army days: One Saturday I was getting my jeep ready to go out and get muddy. My phone rang. The soldier on the other end said: "Top - I can't hear you over the fire alarm." I called the CO, got in my car and headed over to the building. The fire alarm had automatically notified the post fire department and they had the situation under control (and the fire put out) before I got there. They were not happy. When they arrived only a handful of soldiers had actually left the building. They had to go room-to-room chasing people out. The post Fire Marshal complained to the commanding general. The General chewed out our brigade commander, our brigade commander lit up our battalion commander, the battalion commander chewed out my CO and I got to meet with the Command Sergeant Major for 'professional development.' I went and lit up my platoon sergeants - who tore into the squad leaders. The squad leaders spent the next couple of weeks conducing fire drills at random times - including the middle of the night. Needless to say - nobody had a fun time. And the cause of the fire? A soldier managed to catch a microwave oven on fire trying to make popcorn.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

@@colincampbell767 From my Navy days, we were lucky enough to get random fire drills at least twice a week for someone forgetting to put water in their g** d*** ramen noodle cups... (at least on the land bases)... At least, we never got so complacent about getting out of the building when the alarms went off... except for the occasional dumb SoB who'd gone to sleep in the lounge while lighting the microwave on fire... meh... ;o)

[@goneutt]

Private Pilot who volunteered for this deserved an unused Nobel Peace prize, like this year.

[@iansmith4184]

Absolutely. Flying a helicopter through the thermal updraft of a fire takes both incredible skill and incredible nerve.

[@carloscortes5570]

Great pilot he had a very small two seater helicopter and the wind from the ocean in that area is very strong, imagine on the roof.he pick up one person at a time and dropped them below on the beach.then a national guard huey chopper arrived and a coast guard helicopter.

[@rifleman762]

I read about this fire in readers digest back in the 80s. Scared the living daylights out of me! Fire science has always fascinated me and was part of the reason I became a volunteer firefighter years later.

[@PureSniperWolf]

Thank you for your service.

[@rifleman762]

@@PureSniperWolf thank you for that! I was probably the most rewarding time of my life, my only regret is that I didnt get into the fire service out of high school, its definitely a young man's game.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Mine was a book on the Iroquois or Our Lady of Angels in Chicago

[@adamhickey396]

Before I watch the video, I am going to make a prediction that in this fire there is either 1) an emergency fire exit which has been blocked or locked preventing egress from the building, or 2) inadequate fire safety precautions i.e. sprinklers/training/poor building layout and codes. EDIT: So just watched the video. I must admit that it is quite incredible and shocking just how many of these fires, whether accidental or deliberate, feature these glaring safety issues. You would honestly think that, by now, people would have learned.

[@mondenkindqueen]

People know, but those same people are cheap. Safety costs money don’t ya know?

[@gayzell850]

@@mondenkindqueen Yeah, can't let safety get in the way of profits. Not at least until people pay for the greed with their lives.

[@asmodahlia]

Marriott may be the leader in these practices but in the three and a half years I worked for them, we never received fire safety training. I feel like there are far too many establishments that don't take fire safety seriously.

[@JS-mg1mk]

Why on earth would anyone think starting a fire in a building with hundreds of innocent people would be a good response to “disputes with management”? Like, there’s a thousand less deadly ways you could make a point if that’s what you’re trying to do. Unbelievable.

[@insertnamehere5602]

Yeah, can we take a second to talk about how much those guys probably screwed negotiations? I can't find how that conflict was resolved, but I imagine not well for the union.

[@sharonsmith583]

Wow! So excited you covered this. My son just got back from a stay at that Marriott. They had no idea until an older guest at the bar told them all about it. I had to Google it, had never heard about it.

[@ohitsjustmegod5276]

I live in the US and stay up late into the morning. I can always count on your videos dropping around 3am. Keep up the good work. 👌

[@OumuamuaOumuamua]

You know, I was going to say were is it 3am in the us, but just realized its 5 for me lol

[@ShyGetsHi]

Likewise! West Coast crew!

[@brooksmc]

4 a.m. for me

[@kiwibean2232]

West coast gang 😅

[@angelandra]

Wow this one hits close home. A friend of my grandfather was a croupier at the DuPont Plaza casino and survived the fire by breaking up a window and jumped by the pool area fracturing both of his legs. I also stayed at the now called Marriott hotel and while it’s a great hotel, I felt a strong discomforting energy.

[@angelandra]

Wow I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt this 😨.

[@strix3688]

discomforting energy? man... that sounds sad, right..?

[@jeremycitron1455]

Do you know if the Croupier friend of your Grandfather is still alive? There was in fact only one window smash out and I remember his face very well. If it were not for him I would have died on the day. Would appreciate any thing you can render.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Only b/c you know what happened. If you didn't, it would be like any other hotel

[@MrArgus11111]

Few criminals are as loathsome as arsonists because of the horrific damage to property and, much more importantly, people they can cause in such a short period of time.

[@reachandler3655]

While I agree with your statement, many people who set a fire don't consider or expect the fire getting out of control and the carnage that results. Thanks to watching channels like this I now realise just how quickly a small fire can become raging inferno.

[@zacharypeterson6465]

Rea What the fuck are you talking about? You really needed this channel to tell you that fires can spread?

[@andrewkuebler4335]

​@@reachandler3655 That makes their crime no less horrendous. It does however, show how important it is to learn from their mistakes.

[@elisam.r.9960]

@@reachandler3655 That depends on the arsonists in question. Those that set buildings ablaze in 2020 selected their targets (gas stations, liquor stores, and even a bookshop) based on how much fuel/accelerant was contained within.

[@KazyEXE]

Also criminals are the managers who skimp on fire safety and lock fire doors, and building owners who don't put in simple fire systems.

[@MegCazalet]

It was tragedies like this in the news combined with an actual fire at a hotel my family was at that gave me a phobia of HOTELS as a child. I vividly remember the alarm going off and grabbing for my blankie while my mom shouted we couldn’t take anything with us, we had to RUN. My father scooped up my little brother and we ran down seemingly endless stairs. Fortunately, that incident was minor and put out quickly. But the terror I felt certainly left an impression on me. Years later when I was on a work trip in Canada, the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night, while it was utterly miserable wet and freezing outside. I was THE ONLY PERSON who evacuated. And I would do it again.

[@oven2066]

One quick correction, albeit a morbid one - "Flashover" is what happens when the smoke itself catches fire - smoke is just carbon, after all, and so the fire seems to crawl across the ceiling. The video states that those inside the room were killed instantly when this happened, but they wouldn't have been. It's a rapid horizontal spread of fire, not an explosion. Given the conditions needed to create a flashover, it's unlikely that any were still alive in the room when it happened, but even if they were then the flashover itself wouldn't have instantly killed them.

[@ashleycook6025]

An important distinction indeed.

[@eadecamp]

I used to work in a church that had been built in the 1930s. It cost thousands to bring the building up to 1997 code. Doors leading to a main hallway had to open out and glass doors had to be able to open within seconds. I suppose fire drills might have been a good idea, but that never happened. But long after I had left, I heard that they had had been not one but two fires within a few years of each other. Thankfully nobody was in the building when it happened.

[@craigblyth]

Ahhh, my favourite Tuesday morning activity! Thanks for your relentless hard work, this channel truly is fascinating. I’ve binged every single one of your videos, so I always look forward to a new one each week!

[@ellejayqueue8494]

Me too but I skip any video to do with cave diving and/or claustrophobia!

[@ihita9128]

For me it's my favourite night activity, his videos release at around 10pm Tues for me lol

[@craigblyth]

@@ellejayqueue8494 I initially avoided anything to do with plane crashes. But because of his emotionless, factual and calm delivery I eventually watched them and it wasn’t so bad!

[@medinsane]

@@ihita9128 same except it’s 7 pm!

[@Lownamebrand]

Same I listen once when it drops and again at work later on and this one has my union in it as well, I wish it was for a better reason though :(

[@elliottprice6084]

Most hotel fires featured on here so far have been caused by some kind of fault with the building, but this one was a shocker. I had heard of this disaster but I didn't know it was a case of arson and mass murder. I'm just glad the perpetrators of this tragedy were given long sentences. But it's even more tragic that this had to happen before proper fire safety was brought in to make the building safe

[@Badazitan]

I would love to see a short on flash over - it's crazy how fast a fire can get out of control

[@clray123]

Ah yes, communicating your feelings by setting things on fire... reminds us a bit of those who communicate their feelings by glueing themselves to a busy street.

[@pfadiva]

Yes, these 3 sad excuses for bipeds not only cost people their lives; they also cost their fellow employees (who survived) their jobs. The hotel was closed for 6 years.

[@cramer4506]

@@pfadiva Average Teamsters tactic working as intended NGL.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

That's because they didn't understand English... Ok. Bad joke. Like that's all you can do to show you're mad?

[@samuelfellows6923]

😠 - 🇬🇧, we have climate change protesters doing that ~ inconveniencing the traveling public while HMs government is ignoring them and has more interest in COP 27 where some Russian and Arab oil-barons are squeaking about their exploits and for us to burn more gas and oil

[@alice45-fgd-456drt]

It's not really about communicating feelings but rather about being disruptive enough to force change. Considering many of us would've been property if no one had ever done disruptive things to force change, I don't see why you think you're in a position to be snarky about it.

[@veryberry39]

"If not for exiting, why is it made of door?"

[@MajiggerRose]

So, as someone who experienced terrible treatment as a low wage worker from awful management, I still can't imagine doing something like that. Yes, there were plenty of nasty, even abusive patrons that our employers refused to protect us from, but there were enough genuinely good, kind people. I definitely would've set off some stink bombs in the office areas if I could have, though. That said, the management still bears a good deal of the blame and also many should have done jailtime. They'd bear the blame entirely if there'd been an accidental fire because of their greed.

[@paulrasmussen8953]

No. If the wages were not enough then seek a new job. No justification

[@alice45-fgd-456drt]

I think the idea was probably to set off the fire alarm to disrupt that evening's business, rather than killing a ton of people. Plenty of people have caused massive fires and deaths as a result of having a simple barbecue in the backyard or setting off a coloured smoke bomb for a gender reveal party. I highly doubt this was intentional in any way, but sadly a lot of people have very little respect for how quickly fire can get out of hand.

[@alice45-fgd-456drt]

@@paulrasmussen8953 No, if you can't pay living wages then don't hire people. No justification.

[@kukachoo42]

@@paulrasmussen8953 Jobs pay wages based on the market at the time. If there was a high-paying job that you could get as someone living in the global south in a tourist economy then you would've already had it

[@kukachoo42]

@@paulrasmussen8953 People in the global south living in poverty due to imperialism aren't doing so because they've just chosen to. There wouldn't be millions and billions of people doing that if that was the case. Use your critical thinking skills

[@Zipzap1313]

Your work is so amazing, so detailed, and unlike any I've seen~💕💕💕 Thank you for all your hard work, remember that you are loved and valued ~😊

[@ethribin4188]

The firewas caused by workers. The reason it was so devastating however was 100% managment's fault. No training, locked escape doors, turned of fire alarms and phones, and the classic. No sprinklers.... Seriously. The scale of negligence is as, if not more, criminal then the arson itsself. >:c

[@punkybrewstar83]

Bingo. And yet those responsible for that negligence are never held accountable.

[@trouper206]

“Shoulda had a bulletproof vest on” Or alternatively “Don’t shoot ppl”

[@sedatedape315]

I remember this disaster flashed across my TV that New Years Day as the death toll kept climbing. Also the unbelievable number of articles in my city's various newspapers for weeks after. Another excellent and quality video with very good research to provide the truth. Well done, and thank you for the work involved.

[@syxepop]

To our Host and Narrator, GRACIAS for such a BALANCED and NEUTRAL approach to one of the disasters we Islanders endured on our own. Now, on to the (2017) Hurricane María's case (it started when meteorologist Ada Monzón planted an ALERT on that one 5 DAYS BEFORE with quite a precise forecast).

[@pmberry]

"Some doors had been locked by management in order to prevent theft." We've been here before, and too many times.

[@lillyclarity9699]

private property > human life. welcome to our current economic system

[@pmberry]

@@lillyclarity9699 And that's why there's a justice system.

[@veryberry39]

"Justice"

[@lillyclarity9699]

@@pmberry literally delusional, lol.

[@Ignatiusbatist]

All my moms family lived 5 blocks away from the Dupont with clear view, they saw everything people jumping and people getting saved. Very good video!

[@knobjob2839]

The exit door everyone was going for opens inwards according to the building plans shown. That will trap almost any panicked crowd.

[@charleslayton9463]

yup. That was mentioned in the video too.

[@jacekatalakis8316]

This is both ascinating and terrifying. Never knew the full story behind it

[@steve3291]

Are we allowed to enjoy these because of what they cover? I always look forward to my Tuesday dose of horror.

[@Edgeworthscravat]

I once worked at a hotel where for a week, we had false fire alarms from faulty detectors. It was reported every single shift I was in, and noted in the handover diaries. One Saturday, we had a wedding and were at max capacity (170 people). To prevent more false alarms, it was decided by management to switch off the fire alarm system, instantly invalidating insurance claims should the worst happen, not to mention putting 171 peoples lives at risk (including the night porter who was told to be extra vigilant) I protested but was told it would be fine and to stop being a silly girl. That night I went home and didn't get a wink of sleep because I was afraid a fire would break out and would ravage the place. The next morning I handed in my resignation as I did not want to be put in that position again. They do this shit ALL the time and fake fire alarm tests, visits, inspections.

[@grapeshot]

I remember that show Rescue 911 hosted by William Shatner that had a very good episode about this disaster.

[@JuniperJadePR]

This, the 2009 Cataño oil refinery fire, Morris J. Berman oil spill & the Humberto Vidal Explosion were all modern incidents in PR that led to sooo many changes in the long run given how destructive they were. I knew a few people who worked both before & after the fire happened (the hotel rebranded as San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino after the incident). One less spoken about problem that occurred during the evacuation attempts was that people had trouble communicating with each other not only because of all the noise but, the linguistic barrier between English & Spanish (hotel service staff is usually kinda fluent but maintenance employees? Not so much). What really gets people with this story here is that there were people who refused to leave the casino without their money until the last minute/when it was too late. The level of negligence is so horrifying that many can't comprehend it since all of our fire safety advancements came as a result of this. The first 2 helicopters on the scene were from the SJ Police & a private charter from the USVI that happened to be landing in the nearby airport. 144 people like Charles Pat Walter, Francisco Pumarejo, Angel Rojas, Julio Colon, Nick Bucci, and Fernando Rivera Atiles were serious badasses who contributed to saving so many that day. Not surprisingly, everyone who was tied to the fire got sued to oblivion, there are quite a few ghost stories now linked to the property & there's a collectible market centered around the casino chips/other items that survived the fire.

[@reborno-o4498]

There was also Mameyes, but that one is barely known outside the country. I remember Humberto Vidal fondly, since I was at a school a few blocks away from the explosion. Hopefully both will also be featured here, I suggested them along with this one.

[@JuniperJadePR]

@@reborno-o4498 I hadn't included Mameyes because I was only mentioning incidents involving fire hazards but yeah, it was a terrible thing that is hardly discussed outside of PR.

[@meredithc2755]

The deadliest hotel fire in US history was at the Winecoff Hotel Fire in Atlanta, GA, Dec 7, 1946. Out of the 119 killed, our little South Georgia town of 13,000 lost 7 high school students and a teacher, there for a conference. One girl’s mother almost didn’t let her go…

[@aluvrianne]

Other than the arson aspect, this played out eerily like the MGM Grand fire. As to the jerks who killed 97 people, it's comforting to know that the next time they'll be outside prison walls is when the undertaker arrives to take them to the funeral parlor.

[@Magikalic]

I love this channel, and how respectful you are to the disaster. Could you please cover the Grenfell Fire at some point?

[@neonhomer]

I thought he had already, but that was another KZbinr who did it...

[@rosemiller417]

Don't think much will come from it sadly. Saw that one Live. The whole Thing is pretty Grim. It was so fast.

[@cruisepaige]

@@rosemiller417 was/is horrible.

[@filanfyretracker]

its amazing how long it took things like sprinklers to become required in all areas of hotels. They do not stop all fires but they do help buy time, of course a good fire alarm system and unlocked exits are also quite essential.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

No, what's REALLY amazing is this was a 60s building. Fire sprinkler systems have existed since late 1800s! In their modern form. So, that 60+ years passed and they CHOSE NOT TO when it was new...

[@seandelap8587]

Why does it always seem In a time of emergency that the doors are locked and people have no means of escape.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Because you often don't know the doors are locked until you need them.

[@fritzkrieg2344]

Gotta prevent Theft.

[@PrezVeto]

Selection bias. If people were able to escape, most would, and the events wouldn't be recounted here.

[@alice45-fgd-456drt]

Because a lot of business owners care more about preventing theft than they care about making sure that people can escape in the case of an emergency. It's all greed.

[@PrezVeto]

@@alice45-fgd-456drt If the business owners had thought a fire would occur, they'd have saved their business. They were shortsighted, as people tend to be, not realizing they were pushing their and their workers' and customers' luck too far. Try keeping a business going without preventing theft. The thieves share the blood on the hands.

[@friendlyporkchop]

excellent video as always. could you do a video on the ghost ship warehouse fire in oakland, ca in 2016? it was a major tragedy here that i feel never got enough attention, and a lot of attention it did get was to blame the victims for their own deaths/injuries/trauma

[@scmroman]

Your videos have taught me that no matter what it is, always react accordingly to the very first sign of trouble. No matter how small that sign maybe, waiting it out could have fatal consequences.

[@hungryhedgehog4201]

This is why you dont just willy nilly do direct action like this, does more harm than good. The people who died arent the ones you struggle against.

[@kukachoo42]

exactly. direct action needs organization to plan, rogue cells arent as effective as mass group action. although their desperation is striking to me. i think about amazon, starbucks, walmart, etc current day union busting tactics and think how it got to this point. that combined with management's poor safety practices was a disaster waiting to happen

[@TazzeOptical]

According to wikipedia: "Jiménez Rivera and Rivera López were released from federal prison in 2001 and 2002, respectively.", not even 20 years in prison, ridiculous.

[@harrynicholes3166]

Suspicious.

[@PrezVeto]

🤬

[@cjclark1208]

I’m not upset with that, I thought the punishment was excessive in the first place. They’re intent and mindset of their actions is key you know. Yes, what they chose to do was very irresponsible and stupid, some might say unforgivable but I don’t think their was any malice or cruel intent to create such a mess of a disaster to begin with. Serving 15 to life sounds like a paid debt to society to me, long as they are remorseful, get out and contribute positively to society and walk the straight and narrow. Those men weren’t murderers, they were misguided idiots, big difference.

[@Around-The-Verse]

Great. I work on ship so I usually stay by two months on seas and I always watch one episode on this channel morning before I go sleep after my shift. Glad to find new episode

[@danielalexander8588]

Glad to watch this weeks Fascinating Horror. Every week the videos are interesting and full of detail. I also love that there's no judgement from the narrator, where some other channels do. Keep up the good work!

[@vanessamurphy4667]

I look forward to these. Thank you Fascinating Horror!

[@ryanhogan931]

Your videos, if you will, are always so well done. I really look forward to new ones. Keep up the good work!

[@DJ_PROMO_PR]

I am from Puerto Rico. I was sixteen when this happened. I remember watching this live on the local news. Crazy.

[@McLambo]

Thanks, your short video documentaries are top notch!

[@WobblycogsUk]

So many of these stories end up with no one going to jail so it's nice to see someone face some consequences here. As usual though no one from management seems to have faced any punishment. There was far more loss of life here than necessary. We knew in 1986 that emergency doors had to open out, that sprinklers were needed, that fire alarm systems should work but it seems no one is responsible for those issues.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

In this case management wasn't directly responsible. This was a criminal act by 3 awful people.

[@lorddude123]

@@F40PH-2CAT by a union that was and still is common unions are trash

[@harrynicholes3166]

@@F40PH-2CAT Lock up the bottom feeders, eh? No sprinklers/fire alarms in a building of that size??

[@PrezVeto]

@@harrynicholes3166 The PR government didn't require it. It has to be viewed within the context of the standard in Puerto Rico at the time.

[@GiordanDiodato]

@@F40PH-2CAT except they were responsible for the deaths.

[@Dollarkat]

Would be weird today to stand in that lobby where dozens of people burned to death though .

[@jortspheus642]

the whole time i was watching this video, i couldn’t help but feel like the location and building plans looked familiar… then learned it was the marriott i stayed at many years ago. cool piece of history that i didn’t previously know!

[@ecthelion222]

Your channel should have even more subscribers and you have loads. Your presentation is immaculate and always thorough. Thank you for your work I’ve enjoyed your channel for a very long time. 👍

[@reachandler3655]

I remember this, I was 18 (yes, I'm that old), I was astounded there was no fire alarm. 3 years later I got my own home, in a tower block, no fire alarm or sprinklers, no instructions on what to do in the event of a fire. Whenever there was a hint of fire in the block I'd take my dog for a walk, I didn't want to be in there.

[@hauntedshadowslegacy2826]

Why didn't you issue a complaint about the lack of fire alarm and sprinklers? Surely, that's the kind of thing you could get someone in serious, multi-million-dollar trouble over.

[@reachandler3655]

@@hauntedshadowslegacy2826 Wasn't required in council homes back then. Don't know if they are now, I would hope they are after Grenfell Tower tragedy.

[@melissag9160]

I feel like this channel could save my life someday. Now when I travel, I'll take my own fire and carbon monoxide detectors, I'll walk the building exits to make sure I know the way and the doors are unlocked, I'll ask the building staff to recite their fire emergency strategy, and I'll be hypersensitive to smoke. I'll get a room on the third floor and pack a rope ladder in my suitcase (high enough to be safe from most tsunami surges but low enough to climb down in a fire). Anything I missed?

[@tyrikuntamed4206]

Love all your documentaries. This one, you struck gold

[@dreamsofparis5535]

Another great video! One of my aunt's was born and raised in Puerto Rico and before coming to the mainland USA recalled how bad the news of this hotel fire was taken.

[@geepuller1]

One thing I've learnt from these videos is if there is any doubt get out of the building. Better to evacuate unnecessarily 100 times than to stay inside by mistake 1 time.

[@anarivera7038]

Thankyou for covering this one. The Marriot hotel, former Dupont Plaza, was clearly visible in my high school recess ground. Cannot imagine the sight it mustve been that day. I found out about this disaster and never looked at that building the same way again.

[@LaiaBertran]

Always great research on your part. Thank you for bringing us another fascinating horror story. Wishing you the best on your way to 1M.

[@dovercastbrandon9637]

Would love to see you do a video on the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. It’s the worst volcanic eruption in the history of the United States, and one of the worst natural disasters in the nation’s history. I love your videos, and your presentation and factual delivery would be great in a video covering the mountain’s explosion.

[@RobKaiser_SQuest]

FH describing a tragedy in Puerto Rico as "one of the worst in the United States" is more recognition than the US government will ever give PR.

[@rogerswab2131]

Loving the increased production value of recent videos.

[@veryberry39]

Increased production value, or just a lot more stock footage being used in recent months? I realize it's often hard to find actual B-roll of most of these things, but I still find the generic stock footage to be jarring. Buuuut I'm still here, so...

[@aquachonk]

Your quality of video remains stellar. Good job and keep it up.

[@billy2182]

Thank you, FH. Great coverage.

[@jolene54]

I was at that hotel's beach that day. Sad day in San Juan.

[@MusicoftheDamned]

Another tragedy I hadn't heard of before, which makes hearing that the person who provided the fuel for the arson got less time than the person who "merely" goaded his two accomplices extra weird. I wonder if that means the goading guy was also supposedly the mastermind behind the idiotic, lethal plan in the first place or just that the fuel provided simply didn't matter much compared to the fuel already there & the numerous other fire safety violations already in place. (That or it's just the legal system being stupid again, which is definitely a possibility sadly.)

[@PrezVeto]

My guess is the goader was the ringleader. Might've been thought to be behind the previous fires. Might've said or done something that suggested awareness of the dangerousness of the act (like getting others to do their dirty work, for instance!). Could be any number of things behind the sentencing pattern.

[@GiordanDiodato]

and management not getting anything... AGAIN.

[@MusicoftheDamned]

@@GiordanDiodato Yeah, but that's so typical even just among these videos as to not be noteworthy sadly, especially when in this case there were actual other people to hold legally accountable for an actual greater crime. So it became even easier to sweep the decision to have locked doors under then rug despite that being what killed most of the victims who died when those very victims wouldn't have died at all if these three assholes didn't commit arson in the first place. Some doors being locked is not excusable but automatically becomes the lesser evil compared to arson, and places and people with money generally get to weasel out of paying even for more obvious crimes or when the fires have been accidental. Management avoiding being charged even with obvious crimes has happened so many times in these videos that I honestly didn't even consciously notice until I read your comment.

[@cgarby]

Been binging on your videos. Love the most recent music used too. New patron.

[@sallykohorst8803]

So close to 1 million subsribers congrats! I enjoy all your videos and just wanted to let you know that.