What happened at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas in 1980?

On 21 November 1980 a deadly fire broke out in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Nevada. It quickly spread through the casino and hotel.

The high rise building was constructed in the 1970s, consisting of 21 storeys in the high rise section and mixed-use spaces and floors below - a total of 26 storeys.

The building contained around 3,400 guests at the time of the fire, many of whom were not aware a fire had started. Those who had become aware were unable to escape, instead returning to their rooms to seek refuge.

Some occupants escaped by breaking the windows and climbing out, but tragically 61 people in the high rise tower were overcome from smoke inhalation, while a further 18 who were in the casino died after the fire.

How did the MGM Grand fire start?

The fire was believed to have been started by an electrical fault which produced excessive heat within a concealed space. It ripped through the lower floors within minutes, bellowing smoke throughout the facility and rendering the main egress impaired.

The only alarm system installed consisted of manual call points and sounders, but on the day of the incident it was inoperable. The facility did not have a water sprinkler system.

What can the industry learn from the MGM Grand fire?

A National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) investigation confirmed that the electrical installation did not contain proper bonding and, as a result, electrical conductors came into contact with a metal flexible conduit, causing sparks and overheating.

The factors contributing to loss of life were:

• Rapid fire and smoke development at casino level due to available fuels such as surface finishes and lack of fire wall containment
• Lack of fire extinguishers - especially a water sprinkler system, which would have controlled the incident at the incipient stage
• Unprotected vertical openings contributed to smoke spread to the high rise tower
• The broken windows from escaping occupants inadvertently provided fresh oxygen supply to the fire, fueling it further

Following the event there was a major reformation of fire safety guidelines and codes, calling for all hotels old and new to be fitted with sprinkler systems and automatic fire detection and alarms.