Memory bank, November 28

A fire swept through a Boston nightclub, Cocoanut Grove, on November 28, 1942. It eventually claimed 492 lives. Almost unbelievable. Among the dead were four brothers, all servicemen home on leave.

One lesson that everyone could learn from a disaster such as this: If you are in a facility where a crowd has assembled, familiarize yourself with the building right away. Check where the exits are in relation to where you'll be. Another lesson: Smoke is not your friend.