Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
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A fire inside David Burke Prime Steakhouse briefly disrupted operations at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut on Tuesday, November 18. The incident triggered a five-alarm emergency response, with three firefighters transported to the hospital for evaluation. The Grand Pequot Tower was temporarily evacuated before officials issued an all-clear later that night.
Fire Details & Emergency Response
According to the Taftville Fire Company No.2, the fire began shortly after 8 p.m. in a commercial kitchen at the restaurant. It then spread upward into the building’s HVAC system, prompting multiple departments to respond from across southeastern Connecticut.
The Gales Ferry Volunteer Fire Company noted the situation escalated to a “5-alarm response … due to the size of the building.” Crews remained on scene for “just over four-and-a-half hours.” They worked to stop flames and smoke from spreading through the tower’s ventilation system.
Three firefighters were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and were later released. Authorities have not reported any injuries to guests.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Fire Department later confirmed that “all areas have been deemed safe and secure.” It issued an all-clear allowing the resort to return to full operations.
In its statement, the department thanked neighboring fire and police agencies for their “swift response.” It added that “the health and safety of our guests and team members remains our top priority.”
Other Major Casino Fires
The Foxwood fire evokes memories of several historic casino fires that resulted in far greater losses. Some of the most devastating incidents include:
- MGM Grand Fire, Las Vegas (1980) — A restaurant fire led to 85 deaths and hundreds of injuries after smoke spread through the hotel tower.
- Dupont Plaza Hotel Arson, Puerto Rico (1986) — More than 90 people died after an intentionally set fire swept through the property, which housed casino operations.
- Poipet Casino Hotel Fire, Cambodia (2022) — The incident resulted in 27 deaths and 100 injuries when an electrical fault ignited a cross-border casino complex.
- Las Vegas Hilton Fire (1981): The fire, occurring just months after the one at MGM, resulted in eight deaths and over 200 injuries.
- Bally’s Park Place Fire, Atlantic City (1982) — A fire in a 10th-floor room forced the evacuation of more than 3,000 guests. Luckily, no fatalities occurred.
These incidents contributed to various operational reforms. Those include HVAC design, kitchen suppression systems, evacuation routes, and emergency staff training across the global casino and hotel sectors.
Broader safety and security crises — including the 2017 Las Vegas shooting — also helped to reshape how major operators approach emergency preparedness, surveillance coverage, and coordinated multi-agency response.
What’s Next
Foxwoods has not yet released an official cause of the fire. Investigations typically evaluate grease buildup, electrical faults, suppression system performance, and HVAC duct integrity in restaurant-based ignition events.
Any further regulatory follow-up will depend on the results of that review. For now, the Grand Pequot Tower and the broader resort have resumed normal operations. The multi-agency response helped contain the fire before it caused major structural or operational damage.
