Loss of life is always tragic, even more so when failure to take a simple step may be a major factor in the number of lives lost.
On December 28th of 2017, New York City witnessed its worst fire related death toll in a quarter century. A total of thirteen people perished in a residential fire caused by a toddler playing with the burners on a stove. The loss of life occurred despite the fact that FDNY was on scene within three minutes of receiving the first call.
A simple step that might have saved lives: CLOSING DOORS.
NYC’s Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro stressed this point when he spoke to reporters. Commissioner Nigro’s remarks can be found here.
Closing the door:
- contains the fire;
- limits the fire’s oxygen supply, slowing the spread of flames;
- reduces toxic smoke levels;
- decreases temperatures; and
- affords those trapped inside more time to wait for rescue.
Given the construction of the building, the location of the fire, that most fatalities were caused by asphyxiation and the fire department’s response time, closing doors very likely would resulted in no lives being lost. What was a holiday tragedy could have in the end been reduced to property damage.
It is equally important that children understand the importance of closing doors in the event of a fire. The UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute maintains an educational website that parents may find helpful when talking to their children about fire safety. Every child should be a member in good standing of UL’s FSRI’s Closed Door Crew.
Additional information on this UL initiative including fire safety tips and planning materials can be found by clicking the image below:
