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Author
Bryan, J. L. | Milke, J. A. | DiNenno, P. J.
Title
Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Taylor House on April 11, 1979. Final Report.
Coporate
Maryland Univ., College Park
Sponsor
National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington, DC
Report
NBS GCR 80-200, April 1980, 39 p.
Distribution
Available from National Technical Information Service
Contract
GRANT-79014
Keywords
evacuation | fire departments | fire fatalities | fire investigations | flashover | board and care homes | halfway houses | mental disorders | smoke | upholstered furniture
Abstract
This fire incident originated on a sofa in the first floor lounge of the duplex unit at 1715 Lamont Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. on April 11, 1979. The duplex dwelling at 1715-17 Lamont Street, was known as the "Taylor House" and operated as a Community Residence Facility for fifty-one psychiatric residents on an out-patient status from St. Elizabeth's Hospital. At the time of the fire incident, there were a total of 26 residents in the 1717 duplex unit which received only light smoke damage. There were a total of 21 residents in the 1715 duplex unit, with two staff members at the time of the fire incident. This fire incident was initially detected by a resident who observed flames approximately two inches high on the couch and attempted to extinguish the flames with a jar of water four times at approximately 0056 hours. The resident alerted the staff member who phoned the maintenance man, residing in the basement, and then the fire department. The flames, heat and smoke spread up the one interior open stairway creating an untenable condition for the egress of the residents. Two residents jumped from the second floor and were severely injured, one fatally. The District of Columbia Fire Department upon arrival found a post flashover fire which had extended to all three floors with residents calling for help from room windows, the front porch roof and the roof of the building. The fire department personnel evacuated and rescued 7 residents from the building. There were a total of ten resident fatalities, and five residents suffered injuries requiring hospital treatment.