2009 Multiple-Death Fires by Type

NFPA Journal®, September/October 2010 

By Stephen G. Badger 

 Read the Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires Incidents in 2009 report summary
 Get NFPA's 2009 Multiple Fire Death report 

RESIDENTIAL

MISSISSIPPI
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
December, 4:36 a.m. Nine, including five under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a two-story apartment house of unprotected ordinary construction.  Number of units not reported.

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
Due to ongoing litigation, no information could be released.

Fire Origin and Path
Due to ongoing litigation, no information could be released.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
Due to ongoing litigation, no information could be released.

NEW YORK
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
January, 2:51 a.m. Eight, including two under age 6.
Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a two-story, single-family home of unprotected wood frame construction that covered 800 square feet (74 square meters).

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
There were no smoke alarms present, and no automatic suppression equipment.

Fire Origin and Path
The cause of this fire that broke out in a common room was undetermined.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
At the time of the fire, the family was asleep.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
January, 7:03 a.m. Six, including one under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a two-story, single-family home of unprotected wood-frame (balloon) construction. The ground floor area was not reported.

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
There were smoke alarms present. The coverage and the activation were not reported. There was no automatic suppression equipment present.

Fire Origin and Path
This fire broke out in a basement ceiling, the result of an electrical short in recessed lighting. 

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
The balloon construction of the house contributed to the spread of heavy smoke throughout the structure. No information was given on the victims’ locations.

KENTUCKY
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
July, 2 a.m. Six, including three under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a one-and-a-half story, single-family home of unprotected wood-frame construction that covered 1,048 square feet (97 square meters).

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
There were smoke alarms present that an occupant reported hearing. There was no automatic suppression equipment.

Fire Origin and Path
A fire of undetermined origin broke out near furniture in a first-story living room. The fire spread considerably before being discovered. The smoke and fire throughout the home self-vented through a front door and window.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
First arriving fire companies made multiple rescues, thus delaying fire suppression for several minutes. One victim was located on a couch in the area of origin. The other victims were located in various areas throughout the dwelling. Three other occupants suffered smoke inhalation.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
January, 5:38 a.m. Five, including one under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a single-family, single-wide manufactured home of unprotected wood frame construction covering 980 square feet (91 square meters).

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
A smoke alarm with no battery was found in the kitchen. There was no automatic suppression equipment.

Fire Origin and Path
The fire broke out in the living room near a space heater. The carpet around the heater was first ignited.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
Upon arrival, firefighters found nearly 75 percent of the structure involved in fire, forcing an exterior attack.

WEST VIRGINIA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
January, 5:03 a.m. Five, including one under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a two-story single-family home.  No other information was reported.  

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
No information was reported.

Fire Origin and Path
No information was reported.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
No information was reported.

ALABAMA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
March, 6 a.m. Five, including two under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a one-story manufactured home of unprotected wood-frame construction. Its size was not reported.

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
No information was reported.

Fire Origin and Path
A nearby relative spotted a glow from the fire, found the home fully engulfed, and called 911. By the time firefighters arrived at the home, it had already burned to the ground.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
None reported. 

MICHIGAN
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
April, 7:40 a.m. Five, including four under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a one-story, single-family home of unprotected wood-frame construction that covered 1,664 square feet (155 square meters).

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
No smoke alarms were found. There was no automatic suppression equipment present.

Fire Origin and Path
The fire was ignited in the living room on a mattress by a child playing with an unknown heat source.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
The victims were located in several areas. A woman and one child were located in one bedroom and three children were found in the master bedroom, including one in a closet. The woman and three of the children were pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the hospital, and the fourth child died a week later. Another woman and four children survived. Two of the surviving children were removed by neighbors prior to the arrival of firefighters. The woman passed another child out a window before escaping through the same window herself.   
 

MISSOURI
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
May, 4:31 a.m. Five, including three under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a single-family, single-wide manufactured home with additions. The structure was 14 feet (4 meters) wide by 60 feet (18 meters) long. The size of the additions was not reported.

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
It was not known if there were smoke alarms present. There was no suppression equipment.

Fire Origin and Path
This fire of undetermined cause broke out in the kitchen.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
Information reported included that the home was fully involved on arrival, 75 percent of the structure was already on the ground, and rescue attempts were impossible. One adult was found in a bedroom in an addition, the other adult in a living room near the front door. Two children were located in a bedroom, the third child in another bedroom.

FLORIDA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
November, 6:44 a.m. Five, including three under age 6.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a one-story, single-family, manufactured home of unprotected wood-frame construction. The single-wide was 12 feet (4 meters) wide by 70 feet (21 meters) long.

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
There were no smoke alarms or suppression equipment.

Fire Origin and Path
This fire was still under investigation.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
Upon arrival, firefighters found the home fully involved in fire and initiated an exterior attack. An adult and three children were found in rooms on the right side of the home and a child was in a room on the left side of the home.

NON-RESIDENTIAL 

TEXAS
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
January, 2:53 a.m. Five deaths.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type
This was a one- and two-story, 42-bed homeless shelter of protected noncombustible construction that covered 23,300 square feet (2,165 square meters). Originally, these were two connected commercial buildings forming an L-shaped structure that were converted for use as a homeless shelter. At the time of the fire, there were 28 occupants. Part of this facility was used as a collection point for donated clothing and other items.

Smoke Alarm and Other Protection Devices
None were present.

Fire Origin and Path
This fire began in a shipping/receiving area on the first story. A pile of donated clothing covering 950 cubic feet (27 cubic meters) in a sorting area was first seen burning. The cause is undetermined.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
Occupants were asleep at the time of the fire. The victims were on the second floor: four in a TV room and one in a sleeping cubicle. Several factors contributed to their deaths, including excessive travel distances to a clear exit, exits blocked by heavy smoke, and the fact that the victims were trapped above the fire. Investigators found several code violations, but they were not reported to NFPA. During the fire, a garage door was opened, allowing ventilation to spread the fire. Firefighters attacked the fire from the interior for 20 minutes before being forced out of the building by deteriorating conditions.

NEW YORK
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
March, 5:30 p.m. Four deaths.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type, Operating Status
This was a one-story board-and-care occupancy of unprotected wood-frame construction that covered 4,280 square feet (398 square meters). Nine residents and two staff members were present at the time of the fire.

Detection Systems and Suppression Systems
A building fire alarm system was installed, consisting  of  smoke detectors in sleeping areas and most common spaces. Heat detectors were installed in the kitchen, laundry room, shower room, and attic. A wet-pipe sprinkler system designed to meet the requirements of NFPA 13D was also provided. Two sprinkler heads operated but were not effective, since the fire started outside the structure and spread inside.

Fire Origin and Path
The fire originated in a plastic trash container on an attached porch. The fire spread into the attic and through the rest of the building. The cause was not determined, but investigators reported human activity was involved.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
While both the alarm and sprinkler systems operated, the fire’s origin prevented either system from having an early impact on it. Several residents had been relocated and evacuated before deteriorating fire conditions prevented further rescue attempts. Some of the residents who were evacuated out of the building returned to what they considered the safety of a familiar space and died, while others who had been staged in a mudroom at the main entrance did not escape.

NORTH CAROLINA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
June, 11:30 a.m. Four deaths.

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type, Operating Status
This was a one-story food preparation plant that covered 250,000 square feet (23,226 square meters) and was of protected noncombustible construction. The plant was in full operation at the time of the explosion and fire.

Detection Systems and Suppression Systems
There was a smoke detection system present that operated. The coverage was not reported. There was a complete coverage combination wet and dry pipe sprinkler system. The system was damaged in the explosion and it was undetermined if any of the system operated.

Fire Origin and Path
This was a natural gas explosion. Workers were purging gas lines installed for a new gas-fired water heater. There was a natural gas explosion when gas that remained within the structure during the purging process found an undetermined ignition source.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
The Chemical Safety Board is still investigating this explosion. See www.cbs.govfor further information.

OHIO
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
November, 1:53 a.m. Four deaths. 

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type, Operating Status
This was a two-story, eight-unit boarding house of unprotected wood-frame construction that covered 2,000 square feet (186 square meters).

Detection Systems and Suppression Systems
No information on automatic detection equipment was reported. No automatic suppression equipment was present.

Fire Origin and Path
This incendiary fire was ignited on the first story.

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
Upon arrival, firefighters found this structure to be well involved. Firefighters found one occupant hanging out a first-story window and three victims in a bedroom on the second-story. An interior attack was attempted, but fire conditions worsened and firefighters were evacuated from the structure for a defensive attack.

ARKANSAS
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
May, 2:30 p.m. Three deaths. 

Number of Stories, Occupancy Type, Construction Type, Operating Status
This was an empty, 67,000-barrel, free-standing gasoline storage tank. 

Detection Systems and Suppression Systems
No information was reported. 

Fire Origin and Path
After a lunch break workers were preparing the tank to install content measuring equipment. Three workers who were cutting a hole in an internal floating roof (a roof floating on the contents of the tank) ignited flammable vapors in the tank. The explosion blew the internal floating roof and secondary dome-shaped lid off the tank. 

Contributing Factors and Victim Locations
A gas vapor test was done at the start of the work day, but none was done after the lunch break. 

NON-STRUCTURAL

CALIFORNIA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
August, 10:27 a.m. Five, including one under age 6.

Setting
Limited access highway.

Climate
No information was reported.

Fire Origin and Path
This was a single-vehicle crash. The vehicle, an SUV, flipped over on its roof and caught fire.

Factors Hindering Occupant escape
No information reported.

NEW JERSEY
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
April, 12:58 p.m. Five deaths. 

Setting
Limited access highway. 

Climate
Not reported. 

Fire Origin and Path
The gasoline tank of a car ignited in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway, killing the five occupants of the car. 

Factors Hindering Occupant Escape
None reported. Responding firefighters faced several challenges. The second responding company was delayed by stopped traffic and blocked breakdown lanes. The apparatus could not get closer than 200 feet (61 meters) and hand laid a hose line to the scene to assist a company that was at the scene to extinguish the fire.

NORTH CAROLINA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
July, 9 a.m. Four deaths.

Setting
Parking lot/a large box truck.

Climate
Not reported.

Fire Origin and Path
An explosion occurred as workers were inside a box truck preparing fireworks for a display. The workers were installing electric igniters into the tails of fireworks.

Factors Hindering Occupant Escape
The four victims were located inside the truck almost up to the cab as the explosion occurred. One person located near the door survived but suffered burns.

FLORIDA
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
September, 5:50 p.m. Four deaths.

Setting
This was a single-engine airplane in flight that reported a fire onboard.

Climate
It was sunny with a few clouds.

Fire Origin and Path
A mayday reported smoke in the cockpit and an engine on fire before the aircraft crashed. The incident is still under investigation. See  www.ntsb.govfor further information.

Factors Hindering Occupant Escape
None reported.

WASHINGTON
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
February, 10:35 p.m. Three deaths. 

Setting
This was a 28-foot (9-meter) long by seven-foot (2-meter) wide motor home parked in a yard near a single-family home. 

Climate
Not reported. 

Fire Origin and Path
The fire was believed caused by a chemical reaction during illegal drug manufacturing. One person escaped the fire with burns and smoke inhalation. 

Factors Hindering Occupant Escape
The three victims were trapped by a locked door when the fire broke out.

UTAH
Date, Time of Alarm, Number of Deaths
April, 10:05 a.m. Three firefighters died.

Setting
A wildland fire response resulted in the crash of an air tanker that was responding from another state. 

Climate
Dense fog at scene of crash.

Fire Origin and Path
The air tanker, a retrofitted military aircraft, was responding to a wildland fire in New Mexico when it crashed into mountains in fog.

Factors Hindering Occupant Escape
For further information see the  NTSB investigation report at www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20090425X65240&ntsbno=WPR09GA216&akey=1