- Author
-
Isner, M. S.
- Title
- Nursing Home Fire, Woburn, Massachusetts, October 30, 1992. Fire Investigation Report.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
- Report
-
Fire Investigation Report
1993
18 p.
- Keywords
-
nursing homes
|
natural gas
|
sprinklers
|
construction
|
health care facilities
|
evacuation
|
injuries
|
explosions
- Abstract
- On Friday, October 30, 1992, an explosion and fire resulted in the total evacuation of the Woburn Nursing Center, a 101-bed facility, in Woburn, Massachusetts. The explosion occurred when natural gas was accidentally released during construction activities at the facility. The natural gas filled combustible concealed spaces in the building's core area and was ignited by some undertermined heat source. When ignited, the gas-fed fire spread vertically from the basement to the third floor and blew off a section of the building's roof. Twenty-one sprinklers operated, controlling the fire while staff members evacuated all of the patients. Construcion workers, neighbors, and others provided limited, but valuable assistance during the evacuation. Since the evacuation activities were already in progress when they arrived, most of the first-alarm fire fighters were able to concentrate on fire suppression. Twenty-one civilians and two fire fighters sustained injuries, though most of these injuries were minor. The damage to the building and its contents was estimated at $1.5 million.