In 1980, a fire at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, caused by an electrical fault in a restaurant, killed 85 and injured 600. The rapid spread of smoke and flames was attributed to flammable materials and safety system malfunctions. Following the tragedy, the hotel reopened with a $5 million fire safety system. The event underscores the critical importance of knowing fire escape routes in high-rise buildings.

I met a producer at Image Management, a PR/Video Production agency, who was struggling to complete post-production on a documentary about the MGM Hotel fire for the Society of Fire Prevention Engineers. Although she wasn't a video editor, I showed her how to use Sony 3/4” equipment. Ultimately, the documentary, titled "Chemistry of Fire," aired on PBS stations across 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 clients and to 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.