MGM Grand Hotel Fire (1980)
MGM Grand, a casino and 26-story hotel with more than 2,000 hotel rooms and with approximately 5,000 people caught on fire.
A fire began in a restaurant known as ‘The Deli’. It was caused by an electrical ground fault inside a wall-mounted electrical receptacle. This fire spread to the lobby and thus, the first floor.
The presence of combustible furnishing, foam padding and moldings and a very large undivided area allowed for an extremely rapid fire spread and heavy smoke production.
Further, Due to faulty smoke dampers within the ventilation duct network, the toxic fumes circulated throughout the hotel’s air conditioning system, accelerating the spread of the poisonous gases.
A massive helicopter rescue effort pulled 1,000 people from the roof of the MGM Grand.
What should be done to avoid such incidents in the future:
Every time an Electrical Contractor completes a new electrical installation, extension, or modification to an existing installation he/she is obliged to test and certify that the installation complies with current standards.
Have a third party professional electrical installation safety testing and inspection service done for your establishment.
Ensure you include the following inspections/certifications:
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