The Denmark Place Arson Attack: A Tragic Chapter in London’s History

The Denmark Place arson attack stands as one of London’s most tragic and devastating incidents, occurring on the night of August 16, 1980. This horrifying event unfolded in two unlicensed bars situated on the top two floors of 18 Denmark Place: The Spanish Rooms and Rodo’s, also known as El Dandy.

The Scene

The Spanish Rooms was a late-night bar frequented by locals, including Irish and Jamaican immigrants. Rodo’s, a vibrant salsa club popular with South American immigrants, occupied the upper floor. Both establishments operated clandestinely, their existence known primarily to their patrons and the Metropolitan Police, who were planning a raid to shut them down on August 18.

Access to these bars was unconventional and precarious. Patrons would shout from the street below to obtain a key. The only entry point was through a locked front door, which led to a staircase and a landing. From there, visitors could either access the club on the lower floor or ascend a fire escape, enclosed with plywood, to reach the upper floor. The venues were hidden from the outside world by boarded-up windows, and the fire escape door on Denmark Street was bolted shut, making any escape in an emergency highly difficult.

The Attack

On the fateful night of August 16, 1980, John Thompson, a 42-year-old Scottish-born petty criminal, found himself in The Spanish Rooms. Believing he had been overcharged for a drink, Thompson got into a heated altercation with the barman and was subsequently ejected from the premises. In a fit of rage, he sought revenge.

Thompson discovered a two-gallon container outside the club, hailed a taxi, and travelled to a 24-hour petrol station in Camden. There, he filled the container with petrol and returned to 18 Denmark Place. He poured the petrol through the letterbox of the front door and ignited it with a piece of lit paper. The fire quickly took hold, fueled by the timber construction of the building, turning the premises into a death trap.

The Inferno

Inside, approximately 150 people were enjoying their night, oblivious to the impending disaster. The fire spread rapidly, consuming the wooden staircase that served as the main entrance and exit. Patrons were trapped, with boarded-up windows and a locked fire escape blocking their escape routes. As panic set in, some tried to flee via the back door, only to find it locked. Others resorted to smashing windows and leaping out onto the street below.

Next door, a music shop backed onto the clubs. Some patrons managed to reach this area but were trapped behind security shutters. A firefighter managed to rescue six people from this precarious position.

The Rescue Efforts

Firefighters were called to the scene around 3:30 AM. They were greeted by smoke seeping from shuttered windows, a telltale sign of the disaster unfolding inside. When they attempted to force open the locked front door, they were met with a shower of sparks and embers, forcing them to retreat temporarily. Once they managed to breach the door, they discovered the staircase fully engulfed in flames. It took them four crucial minutes to break down the door, but by then, the fire had wreaked havoc.

The Aftermath

The aftermath of the Denmark Place arson attack was harrowing. Both bars were extensively damaged, and the death toll was devastating. The exact number of fatalities remains uncertain, but it is believed that up to 37 people lost their lives that night. The tragedy highlighted severe lapses in fire safety regulations and enforcement, particularly concerning unlicensed venues.

The speed of the fire was so rapid that many of the bar patrons died where they were sitting or standing. An officer from the London Fire Brigade described the scene:

People seem to have died on the spot without even having time to move an inch. Some were slumped at tables. Seven were at the bar and appear to have fallen as they stood, with drinks still in their hands.

— "London's Disasters: From Boudicca to the Banking Crisis" (2011), John Withington

Media Coverage and Public Reaction

Initially, the fire was reported as a tragedy by the media on the evening of August 16. However, as details emerged that most of the victims were immigrants and a few of the young women were sex workers, the tone of the coverage shifted dramatically. By August 17, headlines described the incident as a “seedy nightclub blaze,” reflecting a rapid decline in the perceived importance of the victims’ lives. This shift in tone revealed a troubling apathy towards the immigrant community and marginalised individuals affected by the tragedy.

Justice Served

In May 1981, John Thompson was convicted on a specimen charge of murdering one of the victims, 63-year-old Archibald Campbell. Thompson was sentenced to life imprisonment for his heinous act. He remained incarcerated until his death from lung cancer on August 16, 2008, exactly 28 years after the fire.

A harrowing first-hand account of how what happened can be read here

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