Accidents and Catastrophes: the Stouffer Inn Fire and the Hilton Hotel Fire of 1982 - Case Study Example

Accidents and Catastrophes Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Details: Institutional Affiliation: Date of Submission: Accidents and Catastrophes The Stouffer Inn Fire The fire that broke out in the Stouffer’s Inn in December 1980 was brought about by electrical causes. Though the fire authorities did not specify how this came about, they pointed to the rapid spread and melting of the partitions in the walls as indications that the origin of the fire was electrical. The fire supposedly raced with incredible speed through rooms in which business people were holding meetings (Gottschalk, 2002). The then chief executive of General Foods Franz Aichenaurer, who was there for a conference, compared it to a bomb explosion. There were no sprinklers in the area in which the fire spread. The Inn was bustling with activity when the fire broke out at 10.20am. It began in a second floor convention room where administrators of the Arrow Electronics company of Greenwich, Connecticut were to hold a budget summit. Thomas Goodrum, a General Foods member of staff reported hearing noises in the hallway that prompted him and his co-workers to try to find out what was happening. When workers of other companies detected smoke pouring over the doors of their conference rooms, they thrust tables through the windows. They had to jump over 30 feet to a rocky slope below to escape death. They understood that they would be incinerated if they opened the door. The fire claimed a large number of victims, making it the worst fire disaster in over two decades (Bjornlund, 2002). The president of the Arrow electronics company was counted among the dead company executives later in the day. In total, 26 people were killed and at least 40 suffered various degrees of burns. Authorities asserted that a lack of fire sprinklers and the combustible carpeting and interior designs in the three-story symposium edifice allowed the blaze to expand hastily. Fire fighters also commented that the loss of life could have been prevented if what now seem as basic fire prevention methods were utilised in the Inn at the time (Brannigan & Corbett, 2009). The Stouffer Inn fire forced changes to be adopted by public buildings. These alterations have saved many lives in the 29 years since it happened. The Hilton Hotel Fire of 1982 The Westchase Hilton hotel was constructed before the requirements for fire protection features were made a necessity by municipal law. The only gadget the 13-story hotel possessed was a fire detection system that would alert the front desk in case of any emergency. At 2am on March 6, 1982, the buzzer sounded the alarm. The desk clerk manually turned it off, suspecting that it was malfunctioning. When it sounded again a few moments later, he stopped it once more. The fire blazed through a room on the fourth floor, quickly filling the rooms on other rooms with smoke (Eversole, 2003). A guest at the hotel informed the clerk of smoke in his room. However, the clerk did not inform the city fire fighters about this turn of events until 2.30am. By that time, 10 people were dead, and five were seriously injured. Investigators would later establish that a fallen cigarette caused the ignition of one of the upholstered chairs in a room on the fourth floor. Once it engulfed that room in flames, the fire was able to extend horizontally to two adjoining rooms due to the building’s configuration (Carter & Rausch, 2007). Smoke soon spread throughout the fire floor and to all levels of the building. All fatalities were occupants of the fire floor. Of the five who were critically injured, two would later succumb to their injuries. Similarities in the Accidents Of the two accidents, the apathetic attitude of the desk clerk at the Westchase Hilton could provide grounds for prosecution. The fact that he turned off the fire alarm twice and neglected to inform fire fighters of the fire could have contributed to the number of deaths. His amazingly ignorant character contributed to the destruction of property and lives. This member of staff had obviously not received adequate training. The numbers of those who died at the Stouffer’s Inn fire would have been far worse if any of its workers demonstrated such negligence. Another similarity in both institutions that may have exacerbated is the lack of fire resistive structures in both buildings. Though the Westchase Hilton was completed before the city laws made it compulsory for every public building to include sprinklers and smoke detectors on each floor, it could have made the effort to install them (Weider, 2010). City officials could have pressed the hotel executives to include such fire resistant structures in their premises. Another similarity is the guests’ lack of knowledge of how to respond to fires. The fact that none of the guests thought to phone and inquire about smoke in their rooms is odd. There may not have been phones in every other room, but the guests could have tried to establish the cause of the smoke seeping into their rooms (Wallace, 2006). The fire drills that are conducted in public venues today advise people on how to survive smoke inhalation. This would be of utmost importance if one were trapped in a burning building. The discovery of corpses in a conference room closet indicates that the guests were aware that there was a fire, and were trying to escape it. Their fact that their bodies were not burnt means that they died of smoke inhalation. By cramming in the closet, they were obviously trying to find a place where the smoke would not fill. The distressing thing is that they do not appear to have been conscious of recognized tactics. Many such tactics have easy steps like putting one’s head to the ground or stuffing the doorways with wet towels. These simple procedures could have saved their lives. Differences The main difference in the comparison of both fire incidences is in their causes. The Stouffer Inn fire was started by electrical faults whose basis the authorities were not able to establish. The Westchase Hilton fire, on the other hand, was started by a smoker’s irresponsibility in leaving a cigarette on an upholstered chair. The number of casualties in the Stouffer Inn fire incident was also greater than that of the Westchase Hilton fire incident. While the Stouffer Inn fire occurred during the day, the quick detection of smoke and fire may have prevented an even larger number of deaths from occurring. Though the Westchase Hilton fire incident occurred at night, the apathetic attitude of its desk clerk contributed to deaths that could easily have been avoided. The ignorance of safety the guests also contributed in a small way to their demise. Discussion of Consequences Apart from causing the deaths of 26 people and serious injuries in 40 of the guests, the fire at the Stouffer’s Inn caused the irreparable damage to the building. Arrow Electronics Corporation, which was holding conference meetings in the building, lost thirteen of its high-ranking executives. As the nation’s second largest electronics distributor, Arrow electronics incurred massive losses because of the fire. It had to cater to survivor death benefits, additional accounting costs as well as hiring replacements and personnel relocation charges. Because of this, Arrows electronics’ earnings fell notwithstanding a considerable one-third enhancement in business revenues. Debts and losses mounted, and it took Arrows Electronics nearly a decade to re-establish its operating profitability. Arrows Electronics would ultimately sue the owners of the Stouffer’s Inn for 10,000,000 dollars for compensatory damage, loss of books, records and papers and for death benefits for the families of the deceased. Similar compensatory demands were made in the case of the Westchase Hilton hotel fire, which caused the deaths of twelve people and massive loss of property. Investigation of the Fires Investigations to establish the causes of both fires were commenced after each of the incidents by the National Fire Protection Association. It established the causes of death as well as the lacks in the structural foundations of the hotel that could have ensured the quick rescue of individuals. The investigation also established what gadgets accelerated the spread of the fire. Furniture, upholstery, coats on racks and tables quickly caught fire thus adding to the engulfing smoke. In the case of the West Hilton Hotel, though the fire was mostly confined to one room, the ensuing smoke resulted in the fatalities. The investigations revealed that human neglect caused deficiencies that resulted in the suffocation of the people residing in the hotel (Dunn, 2010). Human Factors that Contributed to the Loss of Life In the Stouffer Inn, the fire was of incendiary origin. An accelerant was apparently used on the carpeting. The fire caught on to coats on a rack, tables for coffee service and other furnishings including polyurethane chair padding. The lack of sprinkler protective devices in the building assisted in the accumulation of smoke in the building. Outlets on a hydrant did not fit the local fire hose. Thirty minutes after the fire began, a back draft explosion occurred in the roof area over the ballroom. It had sufficient force to lift the concrete slab, crack concrete encasement of steel beams and dislodge the brick. The key factor that played a role in the acceleration of this fire was the location of the fire at the intersection of exit corridors. The lack of automatic sprinklers and the lack of remote egress from some rooms also acted as a catalyst for spread of the flames (Norman, 2005). In the Westchase Hilton hotel, the contents of one room generated sufficient carbon monoxide to kill twelve people. The main drawback, however, was the fact that the hotel personnel reset the alarm several times. This indicates inadequate instruction to personnel on the part of the hotel human resources department. The resulting half hour delay before the fire fighters got to the scene cost the lives of 12 of the hotel’s guests. The human negligence factors that contributed to the spread of fire are serious delay in reporting the fire and the lack of automatic sprinklers. The lack of an evacuation alarm signal also ensured that patrons continued to stay in their rooms unaware of the unfolding tragedy. They would have rushed outside if they were made aware of the fire before it got out of hand. Though personnel in the Stouffer’s Inn were not slow in alerting authorities about the impending, like the workers in the Westchase Hilton hotel they had not installed automatic sprinklers and evacuation alarm signals. What Has Been Learned From the Fires and What Still Seems To Be a Problem? As a result of the fires, there have been demands for transformation in several groupings of public house fire and life protection provisions. These demands include of buttressing the assorted municipal and state policies that set the minimum fire safety principles for hotels. There is also the lobbying of hotel proprietors, and workers to surpass the requirements of many local policies that are considered inadequate for the maximum protection of hotel guests (Klaene & Sanders, 2007). There is also the expansion for parameters concerning fixtures and other commodities particular to hotel interiors. Many hotel investors and operators are reluctant to spend large sums of money installing new gadgets. They also fear upgrading the old models to levels considered adequate by fire experts. Some municipalities also fear that higher standards for new properties will scare off major new hotel developments. When new standards are proposed, their implementation usually requires public officials to face difficult and politically complicated issues. Errors made in the Designing and Planning Phases One way in which the spread of the fires could have been effected is in controlling the combustion process. This means that limitations on the quantity and flammability of the combustible elements in each room are employed. However, this may not accomplish the objective because one cannot determine the number of wall hangings, ceiling finishes and carpeting that clients move into the building. The prospect of architects controlling fire breakout potential by construction is a more feasible alternative. Fire rated floor assemblies, apartment enclosures, corridors and shafts can be provided for in architectural plans. This means that construction elements such as walls and floors are utilised to limit the growth of the fire and the increase of smoke. It is also essential for numerous egress systems to be provided for in the basic plans of a building. The potential for crowding and slow movement in high buildings exists because of the multiple stories and the fact that stairs decrease in width as they descend. Additionally, the time it takes an occupant to descend the stairs increases with the height of the building thereby increasing the potential for smoke exposure (Bell, 1982). The building’s egress system must provide sufficient evacuation time before smoke reaches lethal levels, thereby harming those still in the building. The observation of these principles in both the West chase Hilton hotel and Stouffle’s Inn would have prevented the death of so many patrons (Sturtevant, 2004). The Likelihood of the Fire Disasters Happening Again The reality of fire accidents is a constant possibility. The administrators of hotels and public buildings, therefore, have to ensure that they have in place the best measures to ensure that they suffer no casualties in the event of such mishaps. This can be realized by conducting fire drills as often as possible so that the occupants of the building are aware of the exits, as well as all the corridors and exits of the building. Drills also enable the management to pay attention to things like inappropriate reactions from people such as running back to collect valuable items. They then have the chance to address the risks of such behaviour. The administrators will also be able to address the efficiency of their fire escape plans and routes as well as the difficulties faced by people with disabilities in accessing them (Sargent, 2006). Poster Presentation Westchase Hilton Hotel Fire - Introduction - Picture of a woman being assisted down from the Westchase Hilton Hotel. (i) On March 6, 1982, the Westchase hotel in Houston experienced a fire in the middle of the night. The Westchase was built in West Houston’s prestigious Westchase district. The hotel is easily reachable from the key airports in the metropolis and all chief Texas interstates, in the neighbourhood of Houston. The Accident (i) At 2am, an alarm buzzer went off at the front desk. An inexperienced desk clerk turned it off. When it went off a second time, the uninformed employee turned it off again. (ii) Smoke soon engulfed the floors of the hotel and the guests began to assemble at the hotel lobby. Witnesses claimed that the lobby was filled with people dressed in bathrobes and towels. (iii) Fire officials said that 178 people were evacuated from the 300-room hotel, which was built in 1980. (iv) Police dispatched two helicopters and 50 emergency vehicles, including nine ambulances. (v) Fire department spokesperson, Larry Dean, said that some ladder trucks were used to get to hotel guests who were trapped on the upper floor. Though the fire was mostly confined to one floor, the smoke emanating from it would cause more than ten casualties. Consequences and Recommendations (i) The fire that involved only one room in the fourth floor would claim 12 lives. His returning roommate, who attempted to stop the fire with a padded cushion, dragged the occupant of the room of the fire’s origin to safety. When they finally rushed out of the room, they left the door open and the smoke wafted onto the corridor. (ii) The contents that they left behind along with the interior hangings in the room generated sufficient carbon monoxide to kill 12 people. (iii) As a result of the fire, automatic sprinklers, private hydrants, and hose systems were purchased by the administrations of all public buildings. The minimum fire safety standards were revised and enhanced by city officials. Conclusion (i) Aside from facilities such as automatic sprinklers and alert systems it was determined that most of the public was ignorant about the steps to take when confronted with fire disasters. (ii) Due to the disaster, public campaigns were waged to notify the community of the accurate positions to take when in rooms filled with smoke. The demonstration of fire drills that involved employees and all guests in hotels also became frequent across the nation. The Stouffer’s Inn Fire – Introduction (i) On a cold December 4 morning in 1980, the biggest fire disaster in Westhester county history occurred. The 3-year-old inn had 366 rooms. It was located in 30 miles of mid Manhattan. It stood along a hillside strip dubbed the ‘platinum mile’ because of its concentration of contemporary business headquarters. - A picture of the room in Stouffer’s Inn that was caused the smoke that killed 26 people. (ii) An assistant chief of the Purchase fire department at the time, Al Mignone, remembers seeing thick smoke rolling over the sky and smelling burning wood. The Accident (i) It was claimed by fire fighters that the fire was started by an electrical fault because of the way the fire raced through the wall partitions. (ii) Among the 26 who died, seven bodies were found in the conference room in which the Arrow Electronics executives were holding their meeting. It would seem that they mistook the closet for an exit and were then trapped there. As they did not know to lie next to the floor and stuff wet towels at the foot of the door, they suffocated to death. Consequences (i) In addition to the 26 dead company executives, 40 others were injured. (ii) The fire destroyed a lot of property, inclusive of important papers, records and books belonging to the Arrow Electronics company. (iii) The Arrow Electronics company sued the Stouffer’s Inn management for 10,000,000 dollars for the death benefits of the families of the deceased. Conclusion (i) Automatic sprinklers were installed in the hotels because of efforts by the municipal, city officials to bring about changes that would ensure the protection of human life in public hotels. (ii) The Stouffer’s Inn fire was also a major catalyst in getting the state legislature to enact a statewide code that insisted on the implementation of fire drills. The code also supported automatic alarm systems, and architectural alterations in buildings, which would act as places of refuge during any fire incidences. Reference List Bell, J. 1982. Investigation Report, Westchase Hilton Hotel Fire, Houston, Texas, March 6 1982, 12 Fatalities. National Fire Protection Association. Quincy. Bjornlund, L. 2002. Managing Fire and Rescue Services. International City County Management. Washington D.C. Brannigan, F. and Corbett, G. 2009. Brannigan’s Building Construction for the Fire Service. Jones & Bartlett Publishing. Burlington. Carter, H. and Rausch, E. 2007. Management in the Fire Service. Jones & Bartlett Publishing. Burlington. Dunn, V. 2010. Collapse of Burning Buildings: A Guide to Fire ground Safety. Fire Engineering Books. Tulsa. Eversole, J. 2003. The Fire Chief’s Handbook. Fire Engineering Book Department. Tulsa. Gottschalk, J. 2002. Firefighting. Dorling Kinderseley Publishers. London. Klaene, B. and Sanders, R. 2007. 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