- Author
- Levine, R. S. | Nelson, H. E.
- Title
- Full Scale Simulation of a Fatal Fire and Comparison of Results With Two Multiroom Models.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NISTIR 4449,
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Book or Conf
- U.S./Japan Government Cooperative Program on Natural Resources (UJNR). Fire Research and Safety. 11th Joint Panel Meeting. October 19-24, 1989, Berkeley, CA, Jason, N. H.; Cramer, D. M., Editors, 209-216 p., 1990
- Keywords
- kitchen fires | predictive models | model studies | carbon monoxide | large scale fire tests | simulation | smoke transport | toxic products | bedrooms | home fires | death | multiroom fires
- Identifiers
- three bedroom duplex house in Sharon, Pennsylvania, September 26, 1987
- Abstract
- A fire in a kitchen in Sharon, Pennsylvania killed three persons in upstairs bedrooms, one with a blood carboxyhemoglobin content of 91%. Considerable physical evidence remained. The fire was successfully simulated at full scale in a fully instrumented seven room test called Sharon 2. The data are used to evaluate the precision of two multiroom fire codes: FAST 18 and HARVARD 6.3. During the simulation, a coherent ceiling layer flow was observed that quickly carried high CO concentrations to remote compartments. Such flow is not directly accounted for in either fire code. However, both codes well predict the CO buildup. Prediction of temperatures was less successful. Hypotheses are presented as to the reasons for the differences. At least some are believed due to phenomena not in the codes.