- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | DiNenno, P. J.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital February 7, 1979.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-235, March 31, 1979, 27 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- fire departments | fire extinguishers | fire investigations | hospitals | kitchen fires
- Abstract
- This fire incident occurred at aproximately 0832 hours on February 7, 1979 in the main kitchen on the first floor of the Central Building. The fire was immediately detected by two of the kitchen staff since it was initiated with the explosive rupture of an aerosol can of grill cleaner. The can became a projectile and upset two 1-1/4 gallon cans of cooking grease which upon contacting heated areas of the gas fired stove and grill, immediately ignited. The resulting flames involved an area on the grill surface of approximately six square feet, with eight-inch high flames. The smoke produced was immediately exhausted through the kitchen grill hood and duct system. The fire was extinguished by kitchen staff personnel using a 10 pound, listed carbon dioxide, rated 5 B, C extinguisher. The facility emergency procedures were initiated by the staff and both the hospital fire brigade and the Baltimore County Fire Department responded. The fire had been extinguished by the kitchen staff before the arrival of the fire brigade or the fire department. The dry chemical stove and duct extinguishing system were not activated in this fire incident. The fire had no effect on any area beyond the kitchen in this three story and basement fire resistive building, which is approximately 80 years old. None of the patients in this 301 bed capacity psychiatric care institute were involved or threatened by this isolated and controlled fire incident, and no patients were evacuated.