The MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas experienced a devastating fire in 1980, resulting in 85 deaths and 600 injuries. The fire was caused by a small restaurant's electrical connection, and the smoke and flames spread rapidly due to flammable materials and safety system failures. The hotel reopened with a $5 million fire safety system, but the tragedy serves as a reminder for the importance of knowing fire escape routes in high-rise buildings.

I met a Producer working at a PR agency called Image Management. She was trying to finish up the post-production work on a documentary about the MGM Hotel Fire.

The client, The Society of Fire Prevention Engineers was eager to see a rough cut and was running out of patience. However, it was clear to me that she was not a video editor. I showed her how to use the Sony 3/4” format equipment but she admitted, this was not her area of expertise. Chemistry of Fire aired on PBS stations in various cities throughout the USA.

Technically, I was confident that I could complete the project and had everything in the can within 60 days. I provided multiple rough cuts to the clients and PBS’s Washington, D.C. flagship, WETA. I also helped shape the final message with the B-Roll provided.

I learned that more people died by inhaling toxic smoke, compared to those consumed by the actual flames. In one chilling segment, we reveal how more than 20 people fell asleep after first inhaling noxious fumes coming through vents in their room. They didn’t consider exiting the hotel because they didn’t see any flames encroaching and simply assumed the smell would go away. These people all died in their sleep.

Editing the documentary was an eye-opening experience and I was proud of the role I played. I gained insight to how programs got made for public television and how they were financed and distributed.

The finished program was informative and interesting, consistent and compliant with the network’s technical standards and practices.