An Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Spring Grove Hospital Center on December 14, 1978

摘要

A secretary on Ward A of the White Building at the Spring Grove Hospital Center on December 14, 1978 at approximately 1205 hours detected an odor of smoke. The odor was localized in the corridor in the South West portion of the building. The secretary notified the telephone operator, who sent maintenance personnel to the building to locate the source of the smoke odor. Since smoke odor persisted the secretary called the safety officer. The safety officer immediately notified the telephone operator who initiated the facility emergency procedures and notified the fire department. The White Building was evacuated of approximately 120 patients and 12 nursing staff. The safety officer located the source of the smoke odor from a fluorescent light ballast in an office. The Baltimore County Fire Department arrived, verified extinguishment and removed residues of the smoke. The one-story, fire resistive building was approximately twenty years old. This is one building at this residential regional mental hospital center consisting of twenty-two buildings with a total capacity of 1,484 patients.