The Gulliver's nightclub fire occurred in the early hours of June 30, 1974, on the border of Port Chester, New York and Greenwich, Connecticut.
"For decades, youths from southern Connecticut, where the drinking age was 18 since 1972, had flocked to this part-leafy, part-scruffy miniature city so they could take advantage of New York's later last call hour.
[5] There were about 200 young people in the lower level lounge at the time of the fire, just before 1 a.m.[5] The band was the Creation, and included Paul Caravello[8][7] (who would later become drummer of Kiss under the name Eric Carr, a.k.a.
The authorities never did figure out exactly where the fire started, but according to them, the flash point was somewhere near the wall separating the bar and bowling alley, under the bandstand, and that’s where George and Damon’s bodies were found.
Both Creation's keyboard player (Damon) and lead singer (George) perished along with 22 other patrons, crew, friends and fans.
[15] The exact location of the start of the fire proved to be very important, since it determined whether New York or Connecticut authorities had responsibility for the final investigation.
[16] Peter J. Leonard of Greenwich, an unemployed laborer and high school dropout who was 22 years old, was arrested by Connecticut authorities on July 12, 1974 on charges of setting the fire.
[18] On July 16, it was announced that final building surveys revealed that the part of the nursery where the fire was set as well as the skylight where Leonard entered the alleys were both in New York State.
[21] The theory of the crime was that Leonard had burglarized some cigarette vending machines in the bowling alley and set the fire to cover up the burglary.
[22] The judge commented that Leonard had performed "stupid actions in attempting to cover up a third-rate burglary by arson, resulting in Westchester's worst tragedy."
[26][12] The first civil lawsuit began July 5, 1974 when a lawyer representing the husband of one of the victims, Jonetta Horsey, who perished in the fire, filed papers starting a $2 million suit.
[28] On July 9, 1974, an attorney representing six families who lost loved ones filed a notice of claim for $12 million with the Village of Port Chester.
[29] The notice contended that Port Chester "was negligent and careless in failing to make proper and sufficient inspections" of both the restaurant and bowling alley.
[29][11] Even though the bowling alley was almost entirely in Connecticut, the attorney filing the papers said the fact that it adjoined the restaurant (which was mostly in New York) made it Port Chester's responsibility.