The 16-alarm fire at the landmark St. George Hotel, was one of the largest in New York’s History.  It was the biggest of all New York hotels, containing 2,632 rooms, spanning a city block.  The fire originated in proximity to the ninth floor and when Fire Department members attempted extinguishment from the interior, they had no water.  The standpipe system was out of service and had been vandalized in the basement of the building.  T.J. Russo was retained to investigate the origin and cause of the incident, fire spread and failure of the standpipe system.