Why There Aren't So Many Hotel Fires Anymore

# Stuff You Should Know: Hotel Fires

Josh and Chuck dive into the terrifying history of hotel fires in America, focusing on a catastrophic year that changed fire safety forever. The episode traces a series of deadly blazes in 1946—including the LaSalle Hotel in Chicago, the Canfield in Dubuque, and the Baker in Dallas—that culminated in the worst hotel fire in U.S. history at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, which claimed 119 lives. Throughout these tragedies, you'll discover how outdated building practices like flammable materials, open stairwells, blocked fire doors, and missing safety systems turned these disasters into infernos, and how the public outcry finally forced the government to implement crucial fire codes and safety regulations that still protect buildings today.