The escalator thread in SH got me thinking about building regulations. This is one of those "must-watch" videos.
[video=youtube;OOzfq9Egxeo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOzfq9Egxeo[/video]
[QUOTE]The Station nightclub fire was the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history, killing 100 people. The fire began at 11:07 p.m. EST, on Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, a glam metal and rock and roll–themed nightclub located at 211 Cowesett Avenue in West Warwick, Rhode Island.
The fire was caused by pyrotechnics set off by the tour manager of the evening's headlining band, Jack Russell's Great White, which ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. A fast-moving fire engulfed the club in 5½ minutes. In addition to the 100 fatalities, 230 people were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured. Video footage of the fire shows its ignition, rapid growth, the billowing smoke that quickly made escape impossible, and the exit blockage that further hindered evacuation.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]The fire started just seconds into the band's opening song, "Desert Moon", when pyrotechnics set off by tour manager Daniel Biechele ignited flammable acoustic foam on both sides of the drummer's alcove at the back of the stage. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. Biechele used three gerbs set to spray sparks 15 feet (4.6 m) for 15 seconds. Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle one pointing straight up. The flanking gerbs became the principal cause of the fire. The foam was in two layers, with highly flammable urethane foam over polyethylene foam, the latter being difficult to ignite but releasing much more heat once ignited by the less dense urethane.
The flames were initially thought to be part of the act; only as the fire reached the ceiling and smoke began to billow did people realize it was uncontrolled. Twenty seconds after the pyrotechnics ended, the band stopped playing and lead singer Jack Russell calmly remarked into the microphone, "Wow... that's not good." In less than a minute, the entire stage was engulfed in flames, with most of the band members and entourage fleeing for the west exit by the stage.
By this time, the nightclub's fire alarm had been activated, and although there were four possible exits, most people headed for the front door through which they had entered. The ensuing stampede led to a crush in the narrow hallway leading to that exit, quickly blocking the exit completely and resulting in numerous deaths and injuries among the patrons and staff. 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's official licensed capacity was 404. 100 lost their lives, and about half of the survivors were injured, either from burns, smoke inhalation, or trampling. Among those who perished in the fire were Jack Russell's lead guitarist, Ty Longley, and the show's emcee, WHJY DJ Mike "The Doctor" Gonsalves. More than one survivor later stated that a bouncer stopped people trying to escape via the stage exit, stating that that door was "for the band only."
The fire, from its inception, was caught on videotape by cameraman Brian Butler for WPRI-TV of Providence, and the beginning of that tape was released to national news stations. Butler was there for a planned piece on nightclub safety being reported by Jeffrey Derderian, a WPRI news reporter who was also a part-owner of The Station. WPRI-TV would later be cited for conflict of interest in having a reporter do a report concerning his own property. The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that had claimed 21 lives only three days earlier. At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[/QUOTE]
Location of the dead:
[T]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/Stationvictims.png[/T]
I remember this when it happened actually, fucking scary that 100 people died in a matter of minutes.
This is why fire reg mandates all exit doors open outwards from the building. I did research on this back a few years ago, really horrifying stuff :(
[quote]More than one survivor later stated that a bouncer stopped people trying to escape via the stage exit, stating that that door was "for the band only."[/quote]
What the fuck would of been going through your mind in an incident like this to even consider barring people from exiting a burning building?? Every time I read this one line it blows my mind.
Terrifying how quickly thick black smoke started billowing out from the gaps outside the building. The camera man was on point and sensibly started heading out before anyone else even knew what was happening
[QUOTE=Trumple;48317877]Terrifying how quickly thick black smoke started billowing out from the gaps outside the building. The camera man was on point and sensibly started heading out before anyone else even knew what was happening[/QUOTE]
He was probably the only sober one in the building.
I got really interested in this event a few months ago, it's just so odd to see people in that clip that perished in a matter of minutes
Also, any door that has some sort of privilege attached to it like its for the band only or staff goes out the window when a fire starts, more life's could've been saved if that bouncer wasn't such an asshole
From the looks of it that appears to be a flashover. Firefighters fear flashover because of how utterly destructive they can be; completely rendering a structure inhospitable within seconds. Sadly such is the way of things when dealing with highly flammable materials in a wooden building.
Great demonstration:
[video=youtube;BtMmymOxdjc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtMmymOxdjc[/video]
Skip to 2:50, it's very noticeable.
[QUOTE=Radical Rebel;48309910]
Location of the dead:
[T]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/Stationvictims.png[/T][/QUOTE]
So ya know I'm thinking and why didn't the people near the kitchen head for the walk-in? A giant frozen metal box sounds like the best place to be if you're in a burning building.
[QUOTE=Samg381;48320264]From the looks of it that appears to be a flashover. Firefighters fear flashover because of how utterly destructive they can be; completely rendering a structure inhospitable within seconds. Sadly such is the way of things when dealing with highly flammable materials in a wooden building.
Great demonstration:
[video=youtube;BtMmymOxdjc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtMmymOxdjc[/video]
Skip to 2:50, it's very noticeable.[/QUOTE]
Wow only 3 minutes for [i]that[/i]. You always hear about how dangerous things can be but he's absolutely right, seeing is believing. Really puts things into perspective.
[editline]29th July 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Mister_Jack;48320381]So ya know I'm thinking and why didn't the people near the kitchen head for the walk-in? A giant frozen metal box sounds like the best place to be if you're in a burning building.[/QUOTE]
I imagine the insulation would be extremely flammable, which if ignited would probably take 10 minutes tops to turn that into an oven. But I could be wrong I don't know, depends on how long the fire burns too.
[QUOTE=Mister_Jack;48320381]So ya know I'm thinking and why didn't the people near the kitchen head for the walk-in? A giant frozen metal box sounds like the best place to be if you're in a burning building.[/QUOTE]
Real life isn't a movie.
[QUOTE=Mister_Jack;48320381]So ya know I'm thinking and why didn't the people near the kitchen head for the walk-in? A giant frozen metal box sounds like the best place to be if you're in a burning building.[/QUOTE]
mmm yes because A: they'd have to gut the entire freezer and B: It'd turn into an over / collapse.
Look at the aftermath picture, doesn't look particularly spotless
[t]http://www.usnews.com/dbimages/master/38498/FE_DA_130220NightclubFire.jpg[/t]
Those screams are fucking terrifying.
[QUOTE=Mister_Jack;48320381]So ya know I'm thinking and why didn't the people near the kitchen head for the walk-in? A giant frozen metal box sounds like the best place to be if you're in a burning building.[/QUOTE]
Not really, most people died from smoke inhalation, so if there is a crack in the door or a vent you are still going to suffocate
Panicking people would be trying to get in the freezer with you, the door would be ajar long enough for it to fill with smoke and heat. You would struggle to keep the door closed from the heat and smoke now pouring in and if the smoke doesn't kill you, you'll burn when the smoke and stuff in the freezer hits the flash point.
[editline]29th July 2015[/editline]
If you managed to get the door closed tightly, it would still probably turn into an oven.
[QUOTE=OvB;48322443]Panicking people would be trying to get in the freezer with you, the door would be ajar long enough for it to fill with smoke and heat. You would struggle to keep the door closed from the heat and smoke now pouring in and if the smoke doesn't kill you, you'll burn when the smoke and stuff in the freezer hits the flash point.
[editline]29th July 2015[/editline]
If you managed to get the door closed tightly, it would still probably turn into an oven.[/QUOTE]
The freezer was mostly detatched from the club (which would have prevented it from turning into an oven like you guys are saying) and actually survived the fire intact, it really would have saved lives if they did go into it sadly.
But yes, smoke would have seriously fucked things up if let in but it's better than burning to death.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/XRLkEMp.jpg[/img] [T]http://i.imgur.com/vtrX6By.png[/T]
uncontrolled fire is absolutely terrifying.
Worst fear right here..flashed in no time. Quick fire department response time didn't even help. Buildings today burn even faster now too, all petroleum products.
I'm a fire inspector and I take my job for granted sometimes, but I'm glad I do what I do.
[editline]30th July 2015[/editline]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxiOXZ55hbc[/media]
Flash at 1:15
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