Relatives mourn 87 victims of 1990 Happy Land blaze

Relatives of victims of the Happy Land Social Club arson are marking the event that devastated their families 17 years ago Sunday. Authorities say Julio Gonzalez set the fire with gasoline after he was

News 12 Staff

Mar 25, 2007, 5:16 PM

Updated 6,485 days ago

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Relatives of victims of the Happy Land Social Club arson are marking the event that devastated their families 17 years ago Sunday.
Authorities say Julio Gonzalez set the fire with gasoline after he was kicked out of the unlicensed club for fighting with his girlfriend. Club patrons were trapped in the blaze when the only staircase went up in flames, leaving 87 people to die.
Family members plan to lay wreaths near the scene and honor responders to the fire. They will also honor the victims, many of them young children, of a Woodycrest Avenue fire.