An Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Ellicott City Middle School on February 14, 1979

摘要

The fire incident at the Ellicott City Middle School was detected at approximately 1030 hours on February 14, 1979. The fire was apparently detected in the two story ordinary construction building, approximately forty years old, by two teachers simultaneously. The detection involved an observation of a light haze of smoke in the second floor learning center with an odor of smoke. An odor of smoke was also detected in the first floor corridor near the cafeteria. Investigation of the source of the first floor odor resulted in the observation of a smoke accumulation in the locked and unoccupied band room. Approximately 4 teachers and 120 students, the classes from the first floor cafeteria and the second floor learning center, initiated their evacuation prior to the activation of the local alarm system. The remaining 27 teachers and 400 students evacuated the building in approximately 1-1/2 minutes. With the activation of the local alarm system, the school secretary notified the Howard County Fire and Rescue Emergency Communication Center by phone and the Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Company was dispatched. Due to the extreme cold weather, about 20F, the principal allowed the students and teachers to reenter the building to the gymnasium on the first floor after five minutes. The fire department command officer upon arrival requested the total evacuation of the building again. The fire department completed extinguishment of the fully developed post flashover fire in the first floor band room with 1-1/2 inch hose lines in approximately twenty minutes.