Nov. 21-22, 1980: A fire in the deli at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas spreads into the casino and then through the high-rise building, killing 84 people. The first-day story is by the master rewrite man, Eric Malnic. The Times stories on this disaster are a casebook on how to cover breaking news. A color story by Henry Mendoza and Richard West on the second day is especially worth reading.

Also on the jump, a lengthy analysis by Bob Secter, Gaylord Shaw and Ronald L. Soble on what was the second-worst fire in U.S. history.