Memorial held to honor lives lost 34 years ago in Happy Land Social Club fire
This takes place every year and is organized by Community Board 6 to commemorate those who died that fateful morning in March of 1990.
A memorial was held on Monday night to honor the 87 people who died in a fire at the Happy Land Social Club in West Farms.
Families of the victims came together at the Happy Land Monument to honor their loved ones. The remembrance takes place every year and is organized by Community Board 6 to commemorate those who died in March 1990.
Videos from News 12 archives show the aftermath of the fire that took place on Southern Boulevard. Many who were in the social club were members of the Honduran community celebrating Carnival that night.
MORE: Happy Land memorial walking tour held in West Farms to honor Garifuna Heritage
Fire investigators deemed the fire an arson and police arrested and charged Julio Gonzalez for igniting gasoline on the club after getting into an argument with his ex-girlfriend who worked there.
One man who was the cousin of one of the fire victims and new multiple of the other victims recalls the moment when he saw the club in flames.
"Three o'clock in the morning I came, when I came that day... I thought this was going to be happy," said cousin Franco Mena.
Later investigations revealed that the social club had a number of fire code violations, leading the Department of Buildings to crack down on illegal social clubs citywide.
