Thursday marks 31 years since an act of arson at the Happy Land
social club claimed 87 lives.
The
West Farms club was set on fire by Julio Gonzalez after he got into an argument
with his girlfriend who worked there in the coat room. Most of the victims were
young people.
Gonzalez
was sentenced to 25 years in prison for multiple counts of murder. He died of
natural causes in 2016.
Last
year, News 12 published a detailed account of the incident with insights from
survivors, family members and officials, as well as archival photos and video.
Community
Board 6 usually holds a memorial to commemorate the lives lost but canceled
this year due to the pandemic. They are planning a prayer service
later in the summer.
A memorial to those killed in the Happy Land social club fire is displayed in a small park across the street from the former club's location.