BOSTON -- Fire followed by panic in a theatrical district cabaret tonight took a heavy toll of life among the 350 merrymakers.
Fire Commissioner William A. Reilly said that more than 140 persons were carried from the building which housed the Cocoanut Grove Night Club. An attache at City Hospital said approximately 20 bodies had been taken there.
Many of the bodies brought out on stretchers were described as Navy officers. One witness said many wore the insignia of ensigns and lieutenants.
Unconscious persons were being carried from the building at the rate of three every five minutes.
All available city ambulances were called to the scene. Railway Express Company trucks were pressed into service to help transport the injured.
Many of the victims were carried across the street from the night club and placed on a garage floor. Doctors and nurses administered first aid there.
Policemen on guard in the area said they were told that many of the persons in the building were football fans celebrating the Holy Cross victory over Boston College this afternoon. They described them as the "overflow" from the Holy Cross victory dance at the Copley Plaza Hotel only a few blocks distant. It was impossible to learn if players on either team were in the club.
Officials said apparently many of the 350 patrons met death. Massachusetts General Hospital said that there were "quite a number" of bodies at that place but they were too busy to give an exact figure.
Commissioner Reilly said that the fire apparently started in a palm tree decoration.
A moving van even was commandeered to take victims to hospitals.
Narrow streets surrounding the night club were jammed with ambulances, fire apparatus and rescue workers and survivors.
Smoke continued to pour from the building as firemen dug their way through debris to where persons were trapped in the main dance floor area.
Pvt. Adrian Christian of Fort Devens stumbled from the front entrance and collapsed in a priest's arms crying:
"I saw my sister die."
Joseph Rizzo, a waiter, said a stampede followed the first shout of fire.
"They stampeded toward a revolving door at the head of the stairway," he said, "and many of them fell headlong down the stairs. I fell, too."
Rizzo said when he recovered consciousness he managed to smash a window and about 30 persons escaped with him.
Dozens of those carried out on stretchers were seen to have horribly burned faces or arms. One rescue worker told of aiding in carrying out 20 charred bodies.
The area echoed with the screams of persons within the building and the calls of those outside to friends who were trapped.
