- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | DiNenno, P. J.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Crownsville Hospital Center on January 26, 1979.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-233, June 30, 1979, 26 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- evacuation | fire departments | fire extinguishers | fire investigations | patients | smoke | sprinkler systems | automatic sprinkler systems
- Abstract
- The fire incident at the Crownsville Hospital Center on January 26, 1979 was detected by a patient at approximately 0420. The fire at detection consisted of a flaming linen bag in the linen room of ward 91 in the Medical-Surgical Building with flames to a reported height of four to five feet. The fire was reported by phone to the facility operator, and the local alarm system was activated, and the fire department notified. Approximately twenty-five patients were on ward 91 at the time of the fire incident. Fifteen patients were evacuated to ward 93. Nine patients were moved in beds, five were ambulatory and walked, and one was carried. Smoke spread through ward 91 due to the linen room door being left open, and the open plan design of the ward. The one story, fire resistive medical-surgical building was approximately twenty-two years old. The Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded and verified the fire extinguishment by a staff member with a five pound dry chemical losted extinguisher with a 5A, 10BC rating. The wet pipe automatic sprinkler system also activated from a single ordinary rated head. The fire department also performed salvage and overhaul operations.