Happy Land Fire – Settlement

The Happy Land Fire was an act of arson that killed 87 people trapped in the unlicensed Happy Land social club at 1959 Southern Boulevard in the West Farms section of the Bronx in New York City on March 25, 1990. Most of the victims were young Hondurans celebrating Carnival. The unemployed Cuban refugee Julio Gonzalez, whose former girlfriend was employed at the club, was arrested soon afterward and ultimately convicted of arson and murder.

Aftermath

Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo P.C. represented the families of several patrons who were killed in the fire. The action was brought against, among others, the owners of the building for various fire code violations which we claimed contributed to the spread of the fire and the inability of the victims to escape from the raging fire. We were also appointed to the plaintiffs’ committee which acted as counsel for all of the plaintiffs, including the family members of 87 patrons who died in the fire.  Gonzalez was later charged with 174 counts of murder and was found guilty on 87 counts of arson and 87 counts of murder on August 19, 1991.