- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | Milke, J. A.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Crownsville Hospital Center on October 5 and 12, 1979.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-268, December 31, 1979, 41 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- evacuations | fire alarms systems | fire departments | fire investigations | mattresses | nursing staff | smoke
- Abstract
- Both of the fire incidents at the Crownsville Hospital Center on October 5 and 12, 1979 were initially detected by patients in ward 01. The fire incident was detected at approximately 1353, and the second fire incident was detected at approximately 1455. The patients observed smoke issuing from room 3 due to a mattress fire. The patients immediately called to the staff at the nurses station on ward 01. The staff evacuated the ward 01 area without assistance, due to the mobile nature of the twenty-five patients. The nursing staff on ward 01 activated a manual station on the local alarm system, and also phoned the facility operator who initiated the facility fire emergency plan and phoned the Anne Arundel County Fire Communications Center in both fire incidents. Both of these mattress fire were extinguished by nursing staff with a 2-1/2 gallon, pressurized water, rated 2A, extinguisher. Staff personnel then removed the smoldering mattress to the exterior of the building. The Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded and personnel confirmed the extinguishment of the mattress. Fire department personnel performed overhaul salvage and ventilation operations. The smoke was removed from this 25 year old, partially sprinklered, fire resistive construction building with fans through both doors and windows. There were no patient injuries in either of these fire incidents and the damage was limited to the mattress in both incidents.