FireDOC Search

Author
Steckler, K. D. | Quintiere, J. G. | Klote, J. H.
Title
Johnson City Fire: Key Factors. Letter Report.
Coporate
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
Report
Letter Report
1990
9 p.
Keywords
building fires | apartments | high rise buildings | elderly persons | living rooms | fire departments | evacuation | ceilings | combustibles | smoke movement | fire investigations
Identifiers
John Sevier Retirement Center, Johnson City, Tennessee, December 24, 1989
Abstract
The fire occurred in the John Sevier Retirement Center, Johnson City, Tennessee on December 24, 1989. The facility is an eleven-story building with a one-story section on its east side and a three-story section on its south side. These sections are integral and form a single connected building. The fire was reported to have started in the living room of apt. 102, which is located in the one-story section on the east side of the building. According to the Johnson City fire department, the building evacuation alarm sounded at 5:11 pm upon activation of a corridor smoke detector. A local alarm sounding only in apartment 102 and causing an "assistance needed" call to the main desk was triggered by a single station smoke detector in the bedroom of apt. 102. Shortly after the activation of the building evacuation alarm (corridor detector), Mr. Donnelly reported to us that the occupant of apt. 102 fled the apartment, leaving the door to the corridor open. The door between the living room and bedroom was reported to have been closed.