The Upstairs Lounge Fire

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What Happened at the Upstairs Lounge Fire

1. Arsonist starts fire in entrance stairwell.

2. A patron heads to stairwell to answer ringing doorbell.

3. Stairwell door is opened, creating a strong back draft that consumes the bar area.

4. Bars on the windows trap most patrons inside.

5. The bartender leads some patrons toward the back of the building.

6. More than 20 patrons escape to the roof from a back door.

7. Fire kills 32 people; 28 die in the building (positions shown above), four other die shortly after.

Graphic showing the Upstairs Lounge and its patrons on June 24th and the course of the fire.

Source: The Upstairs Lounge Fire documentary by Royd Anderson. Dan Swenson, graphics reporter.

 
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