The beautiful and luxurious Hotel Vendome was built in the Back Bay area of ​​Boston, Massachusetts in 1871. It was built on the corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Dartmouth Street. This elite hotel was hosted by presidents and ambassadors and was unique for its time. In 1881 the hotel became even more luxurious and elite when it was expanded and renovated. Thomas Edison also visited the facility and electric lights were installed and inspected, making the Hotel Vendome the most modernized hotel in the country. It was built with “brick arches, steel beams, and masonry walls with slate covering the attic roofs to prevent flying embers from spreading fire from building to building” (Mochen 2012). This exceptional solid building withstood a very difficult period between 1968 and 1971. This structure suffered 6 fires during these 3 years, forcing the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety and Licensing Division to withdraw occupancy permits due to life safety risks. At the end of the year 1971, however, the new owner was granted permission to begin transforming the Hotel Vendome into 124 residential apartments and a shopping center. Later that same afternoon, the new owner opened the basement as a café while the rest of the structure began its new renovation. On the fateful and unforgettable afternoon of June 17, 1972, the Hotel Vendome suffered yet another fire. In reality on this date several fires occurred in different places. Electricians working on the first floor reported smoke coming from the upper floors, and a bartender reported smoke in the basement. All occupants of the basement bar were safely escorted out, and 3 engine companies, 2 ladder companies, and 1 district manager arrived on scene noting... middle of paper... security should have inspected the building first to issuing permits for further renovations, especially knowing that this facility would house 124 residents. It appears that the lack of knowledge on the part of the previous owners and the lack of responsibility of the city officials are responsible for this collapse and, sadly, the loss of 9 brave men in service. The Boston Fire Department could have worked more closely with the owner/construction crew of the Hotel Vendome, and the deficiencies would have been found, and they would have known about the instability they were running into on June 17th. At that point, fire operations would most likely have been on the defensive. The firefighters did not conduct pre-incident planning that would have let them know they would have to deal with construction barriers as they attempted to lay the hose, maneuver the hose, and get the hose to a water source.