1989 — Dec 24, Fire, John Seiver Center (Elderly Residence), Johnson City, TN — 16

lornajarrettblanchard December 24, 1989

–16 NFPA. Fire Investigation Rpt., Elderly Housing Fire, Johnson City, TN, 24 Dec 1989. 1990

–16 NFPA. Home Fires with Ten or More Fatalities. Sep 15, 2008 update.

–16 National Fire Sprinkler Association. F.Y.I. 1999, 6.

–16 USFA. Sixteen-Fatality Fire in High-rise Residence for…Elderly Johnson City, TN. 1999.

Narrative Information

NFPA: “At approximately 5:10 p.m, an accidental fire occurred at the 11-story John Sevier Center in Johnson City, Tennessee. The fire damage was limited to the first floor and two second floor areas. However, smoke travelled throughout the entire building. Sixteen occupants died in this Christmas Eve fire, and at least 40 others were injured.

“At the time of the fire, the center was a mixed occupancy with residential apartments on all eleven floors and supporting business facilities on the first floor only. In 1924, the building was constructed as a fire-resistive structure, and its original use was as a hotel. But, as the building was converted to its current use, the fire resistance was reduced by the use of light-weight noncombustible and combustible materials in areas on the lower floors and by unprotected penetrations for pipes and other utilities. On the other hand, some renovations were made to improve fire-safety features of the building such as new enclosed stairways and detection alarm systems.

“The fire, which started in a first floor apartment, was apparently caused by smoking materials. Once ignited, the fire spread into a combustible concealed space above the apartment or origin’s suspended ceiling, and this fire spread horizontally over most of the first floor. In addition, the fire spread horizontally from the apartment of origin through an open apartment door. The fire also spread vertically into two areas of the second floor. The vertical fire spread occurred through unprotected utility penetrations made during a renovation. Unlike the fire damage that was limited to the lower floors, smoke spread to and caused damage on all floors.

The following factors appear to have contributed to the loss of life and property:

Rapid fire spread in a combustible concealed space.
Loss of compartmentation due to open doors, walls that did not extend slab to slab, and voids that were not sealed against smoke penetration.
Smoke spread into the high-rise residential tower through various vertical openings.
The lack of automatic sprinkler protection….”

(NFPA. Fire Investigation Rpt., Elderly Housing Fire, Johnson City, TN, 24Dec1989. 1990, 1-2)

USFA: “A Christmas Eve fire that caused the death of 14 residents and two visitors occurred at the John Sevier Center, a high-rise residence for the elderly, in Johnson City, Tennessee. It also injured about 50 other people including 15 firefighters. One victim was found in the elevator lobby on the sixth floor, one in Room 107, and the rest, 14 victims, on higher level floors in living units.

“The fire started in Apt. #102 shortly after 1700 hours and traveled out of the apartment and across the ceiling above the main hallway smoke detectors (which would have activated the 911 fire alarm system) across to the main lobby. Swirling smoke trapped many of the occupants on the upper floors of the 11-story building before any notification or alarm was heard by them.

“The alarm was received at 1711 by the dispatcher of the Johnson City Fire Department. The first units were on the scene within four minutes. Upon arrival, flames were observed on the first floor and additional calls were made for backup units to respond. More than five hours later, firefighters were still breaking windows and heavy smoke continued to hamper their rescue efforts. Johnson City firefighters, public safety officers, and hundreds of volunteer firefighters and civilians who had responded to the call assisted in the rescue and treatment of the injured. Almost every available emergency unit and crew from as far as 70 miles away answered the call. Helicopters from as far away as Virginia helped to move the injured from the fire scene to nearby hospitals. Sub-freezing temperatures hampered rescue efforts and made some of the occupants resistant to leaving the building. The freezing conditions caused firefighters to have to force open exit doors. The building had a history of “false alarms,” which may have caused some of the occupants not to be too concerned even if the alarm was heard.

“Many of those who were able to make it out on their own in the early stages of the fire simply wandered off, or were treated and released by rescue workers. Others were assisted by their families and friends. Red Cross workers tried desperately to determine who and how many occupants were still left in the building….

“…the building was approximately 65 years old. It was originally a high-rise hotel that had been converted to a “residential high-rise” in the late 1970s. At the time of conversion and renovation the building was periodically inspected to insure compliance with the building codes in effect at that time. The last time a major inspection was conducted by building officials was in 1980….

“While thick smoke filtered up through elevator shafts and pipe chases, residents using crutches, walkers, and canes attempted to exit through narrow stairways from as high up as the tenth floor. Others, too frightened, too old, or too confused simply stayed in their apartments and waited for the rescue teams to arrive. Not all were fortunate enough to be found, however, before they succumbed to the deadly gases. Reportedly, one couple, found dead, had been sitting in their chairs reading the Bible. Because of the frequency of seemingly minor fires or false smoke alarms, some residents may have simply ignored the alarm. Others, because of poor hearing, may not have even heard the alarm. This situation may have added to the already confused atmosphere that seemed to prevail, as many residents left their apartments to go into a hallway already filled with smoke. Fire resistant doors had been installed at the entrance of each apartment. However, the automatic door closers were removed in many of them due to resident complaints the doors were too hard to open….

“Presumably the John Sevier Center met code requirements at the time it was renovated as a “high-rise residential” property in 1980. There is no question, however, that a properly installed sprinkler system could have prevented the rapid spread of fire on the first two floors. Nor is there any question that heavy smoke traveled rapidly up elevator shafts and pipe chases causing most of the victims to die of smoke inhalation, even though the fire was contained to the first two floors. Questions remain in the minds of some residents, family members, building owners, elected and appointed city officials as to whether or not the building was properly classified at the time it was renovated and if it were properly inspected by building and fire officials before, during, and after completion of the renovation process. While many documents provided by code enforcement authorities to attest to the fact the building had been inspected during this phase of the changeover, questions still prevail as to how thorough these inspections were and on how closely the existing codes were compiled with. Were building permits obtained for all interior constructions since renovation? Even as late as the previous fatal fire in October 1989 code violations were observed yet left uncorrected because time and the inspectors workload did not permit more thorough preliminary inspections or more frequent follow-up inspection. The October fire had similar consequences due to rising smoke in the pipe chase areas. Even though a person died, the fire was not deemed to be “important enough” to have a sprinkler system installed at the time. The owners and managers of the building have said they planned to install a sprinkler system in the building in the Spring of 1990. Yet, large holes were left open between floors where smoke passed freely to the floors above….

“Investigators believe the fire ignited a loveseat in the immediate area of origin in Apt. #102 and then traveled in a vertical path until reaching a dropped ceiling supported by wooden joists. The fire quickly traveled across the ceiling, gaining in intensity as it consumed combustible materials above the dropped ceiling.” (United States Fire Administration. Sixteen-Fatality Fire in High-rise Residence for…Elderly Johnson City, TN. 1999.)

Sources

National Fire Protection Association. Fire Investigation Report, Elderly Housing Fire, Johnson City, Tennessee, December 24, 1989. Quincy, MA: NFPA. 1990.

National Fire Protection Association. Home Fires with Ten or More Fatalities. Quincy, MA: NFPA, 9-15-2008 update. Accessed 5-9-2016 at: http://www.nfpa.org:80/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=953&itemID=30981&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fire%20statistics/The%20U.S.%20fire%20problem

National Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc. F.Y.I. – Fire Sprinkler Facts. Patterson, NY: NFSA, November 1999, 8 pages. Accessed 2007 at: http://www.firemarshals.org/data/File/docs/College%20Dorm/Administrators/F1%20-%20FIRE%20SPRINKLER%20FACTS.pdf

Note: This is now an inactive page.

United States Fire Administration. Sixteen-Fatality Fire in High-rise Residence for the Elderly

Johnson City, Tennessee. Emmitsburg, MD: National Fire Data Center, USFA, FEMA, June 28, 1999, 39 pages. Accessed 5-9-2016 at: http://www.interfire.org/res_file/pdf/Tr-039.pdf