- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | DiNenno, P. J.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the North Arundel Hospital on September 4, 1978.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-224, October 31, 1978, 29 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- fire investigations | hospitals | nursing staff | bedding | patients
- Abstract
- The fire incident at the North Arundel Hospital on September 4, 1978 was detected by a nurse at approximately 1315 hours. The fire at detection consisted of a smoldering propagation with a char area approximately two inches in diameter on the bedspread and blankets covering a sleeping sedated patient. The building in which the fire zone was located was of fire resistive construction, approximately four years old. At the time of the fire incident the building had a registered occupancy of approximately 285 patients. No patients were evacuated or moved in this fire incident. The bedding materials involved were removed from the bed and patient, carried to a utility room and extinguished by dousing with water in a sink. The staff and fire department were not notified, no visible smoke spread occurred, and there were no staff or patient injuries.