- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | Milke, J. A.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Mt. Wilson Center on June 10, 1979.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-262, October 31, 1979, 32 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- evacuation | fire departments | fire investigations | hospitals | mattresses | smoke
- Abstract
- This fire incident at the Mount Wilson Hospital Center on June 10, 1979 was initially detected by a Health Assistant who perceivd smoke odor on the second floor of the Richie Building at approximately 1837 hours. The Health Assistant immediately directed the residents to evacuate and called to other staff for assistance. The arriving staff observed the smoke conditions in the corridors and activated the local alarm system and phoned the first floor staff to initiate the hospital fire emergency procedures which include notification of the Baltimore County Fire Department. The Hospital Center security staff responded to the area of fire origin, room 205 and a security guard suppressed the mattress flames with a five-pound dry chemical extinguisher, rated 2A, 10BC. Damage was limited to the room of origin with smoke limited to two of the four smoke zones on the second floor of the protected ordinary construction building erected approximately fifty years ago. All fifty-one of the residents of the Richie Building were evacuated without staff assistance and without injury. The Baltimore County Fire Department responded and completely ventilated the second floor fire zone with fans placed in opened windows.