The MGM only had sprinklers in its theater, kitchen, lobby, basement, and top floor. A building inspector had granted the owners an exemption for areas that were open and occupied 24 hours a day; the theory being that occupants would notice any fires quickly and be able to contain them with in-room fire extinguishers. But the deli where the fire started was no longer open 24/7 and in any case there was no fire extinguisher nearby. Eighty seven people died as a result of the fire.
The fire set off a series of lawsuits and spurred the state's governor to appoint a safety commission that eventually mandated that all buildings over 55 feet would have smoke detectors, fire alarms, exits, improved emergency lighting, and other safety improvements. The MGM Grand reopened its doors in July on the following year with a $5 million, state-of-the-art fire suppression system.
