Today in fire history: the primary electrical power system failed at The Westin Hotel, all occupants of the hotel were successfully evacuated

Shortly before 11:38 a.m. on January 2, 1984, the primary electrical power system failed at The Westin Hotel, and security personnel were immediately dispatched to the electrical equipment vaults located in a sub-basement to investigate. In rapid succession to the power failure and before the security personnel were able to reach the electrical equipment vaults, a fire alarm signal was received from a smoke detector in the switch gear room. The responding security personnel encountered "heavy smoke", and a series of explosions occurred in the switch gear room. The evacuation alarm system then sounded throughout the hotel, and the Boston...