On June 24 , 1973 , the UpStairs Lounge , a gay bar in New Orleans ' French Quarter caught fire and burned . Thirty two people died in the fire , including Reverend Bill Larson , the local minister of the Universal Fellowship of the Metropolitan Community Churches ( UFMCC ) . The lounge had recently served as a temporary home for the UFMCC in New Orleans , and although that function had recently moved to another site , this was the third fire in the first half of 1973 at a UFMCC church facility Troy Perry , founder of the UFMCC , flew to New Orleans from Los Angeles to organize a funeral service for the victims . Every church he asked to let him use its sanctuary for the service rejected his request . Bishop Crutchfield authorized a small Methodist church in the French Quarter to provide its space . The service was held there on July 1 , 1973 . Bishop Crutchfield was among the 200 people who attended . '' Huffington Post '' later reported the attendance at the July 1 service was 250
caught fire and burned .
UpStairs Lounge arson attack
Finis Alonzo Crutchfield Jr.