1974 — Aug 25, Washington House Hotel Fire, Berkeley Springs, WV — 12

–12 Jones, Jon C. “A Brief Look At The Hotel Fire Record.” Fire Journal, May 1981, p. 41.
–12 National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996, p. 138.
–12 NFPA. Summary of Fire Incidents 1934-2006 in Hotel Fires in the United States. 2008.
–12 National Fire Sprinkler Association. F.Y.I. 1999, p. 6.

Narrative Information

NFPA 1975: “Hotel. Twelve Fatalities. Aug. 25, 1974, Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

“The four-story hotel had been built in 1880, with additions made in 1898 and 1907. Construction consisted of brick walls with wood joists. There was neither a sprinkler system nor a fire de¬tection system. Small mercantile buildings adjoined the hotel. At the time of the fire, the hotel had some long-term residents and also accommodated transients.

“The hotel operator had been awakened about 2:40 am by someone wanting to rent a room. The operator noticed nothing unusual, and went back to bed. Just after 3:00 am, a passing policeman discovered a fire on the first floor of the hotel. He stopped a passing motorist and directed him to rouse the hotel’s guests; then he drove a block to the fire station, where the alarm was sounded at 3:05 am. The Fire Department reached the scene at about 3:15 am and began evacuating the building. The fire spread rapidly through the first floor, and rescuers were not able to reach all of the occupants on the upper floors. Twelve of them died in the fire.

“Fire spread rapidly up open stairways, the elevator shaft, and through interior wood lathe and plaster interior walls that had no fire-stopping capability. The Fire Department requested help from surrounding towns at 3:25 am, A total of 22 fire engines with 400 fire fighters fought the fire, but the entire structure was involved about an hour after the fire was discovered. Adjacent mercantile buildings were also involved. The town’s water sup¬ply was nearly exhausted, and water was pumped from nearby natural springs.

“Investigators believe that the fire smoldered for about two hours in the central area of the basement before being dis¬covered. The exact cause of the fire was not determined. Loss was estimated about $250,000.” (Fire Journal. “Bimonthly Fire Record.” National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 69, No. 2, March 1975, p. 64.)

Sources

Fire Journal. “Bimonthly Fire Record.” National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 69, No. 2, March 1975, p. 64.

Jones, Jon C. “A Brief Look At The Hotel Fire Record.” Fire Journal, May 1981, p. 41.

National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996. Accessed 2010 at: http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1352&itemID=30955&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fire%20statistics/Key%20dates%20in%20fire%20history&cookie%5Ftest=1

National Fire Protection Association. Summary of Fire Incidents 1934-2006 in Hotel Fires in the United States as Reported to the NFPA, with Ten or more Fatalities. Quincy, MA: NFPA, One-Stop Data Shop, Fire Analysis and Research Division, January 2008, 4 pages. Accessed at: http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/Press%20Room/Hotelfirefatalitiesreport.pdf

National Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc. F.Y.I. – Fire Sprinkler Facts. Patterson, NY: NFSA, November 1999, 8 pages. Accessed at: http://www.firemarshals.org/data/File/docs/College%20Dorm/Administrators/F1%20-%20FIRE%20SPRINKLER%20FACTS.pdf