SOUTHGATE, Ky — It has been 46 years since 165 folks died in a fireplace at Southgate’s Beverly Hills Supper Membership. Now, survivors and households have a brand new memorial to pay respects.
The memorial sits alongside U.S. 27, and consists of names of the victims, in addition to a listing of the federal and state hearth security rules that had been put in place after the tragedy.
“How excited we had been,” mentioned survivor Dana Stallings. “How excited we had been as a result of my mother, she by no means obtained anyplace.”
The night time of the fireplace was purported to be a particular night time for Stallings and her household, who had packed into the membership to catch Hollywood star John Davidson.
“That is from that night time,” she mentioned, pointing to {a photograph} taken earlier than the fireplace. “The one one which got here out.”
Stallings believes the fireplace began earlier than her household arrived. When she was evacuated, she mentioned she assumed she could be coming proper again inside.
“We began going out the incorrect means,” she mentioned. “That’s when the fireplace was larger and it chased us the opposite means.”
Stallings mentioned she and her household turned left, however the lights had gone out and she or he couldn’t see anybody.
“I truly pushed onerous sufficient to get out a door,” she mentioned. “I used to be the final one out that door.”
Six of her relations perished and had been discovered simply contained in the door. Stallings was 21 years-old. She misplaced her mom, two sisters, sister-in-law, aunt and great-aunt.
On the anniversary of the fireplace, Stallings attended the memorial dedication and introduced flowers to put on her relations’ names.
“Once you drive by 27 and see what that is, then you can acknowledge or one thing right here,” mentioned David Brock, who was working as a bus boy the night time of the fireplace.
Brock helped push for the memorial to be constructed.
“It took 46 years to get this one carried out, however very proud to have it carried out,” he mentioned.
The reason for the fireplace was by no means decided. Nevertheless, locked doorways, overcrowding, and a scarcity of fireside suppression methods exacerbated the devastation.
“It modified largely the fireplace legal guidelines,” mentioned Dr. Brian Hackett, an affiliate professor at Northern Kentucky College who helped launch an exhibit on the fireplace in 2014. “Now, you must have sprinklers. It’s a must to have battery-operated lights so that individuals can get out. You’ll be able to’t use sure supplies to construct issues out of.”
Dr. Hackett mentioned the nation discovered from the tragedy to enhance rules.
“You go to any restaurant on the town and you are going to see an indication posted someplace close to the door that tells you the way many individuals can safely be in that constructing,” he mentioned. “That is due to the Beverly Hills Supper Membership.”
A further memorial is deliberate on the website of the fireplace in a park that’s being developed as a part of a residential undertaking on high of the hill.
Relations of the victims informed WCPO the brand new memorial is a particular tribute.
“From right here on out, it is going to be optimistic,” Stallings mentioned. “It is going to be stunning arising right here.”
