The Station nightclub Fire Investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Station nightclub Fire Investigation - Essay Example This paper covers The Station Nightclub fire, 9/11, and the Minneapolis bridge collapse. The recommendations presented in the final report of the disasters are then discussed, as well as how they relate to the overall point of the thesis. Then, two recommendations from the report are selected and related to the materials studied and learned in the course. Everyone desires for the country to be filled with safe buildings and a solid infrastructure. It is even natural for one to expect for a building to be safe to enter or for a bridge to be safe to cross. Most people do not even think twice about it when they are entering a structure or driving down the road—they just assume they are performing a safe activity and that the individuals responsible for constructing the structures they encounter have done their job in a safe and reliable manner. As one can tell from the following cases, however, this is not always a reality. As can be seen in the cases of The Station Nightclub, 9-11, and the Minneapolis bridge collapse—along with the recommendations from authorities following the disasters—the nation’s infrastructure is in bad need of repair. A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub at 211 Cowesett Avenue, West Warwick, Rhode Island. A band that was on the platform that night, during its performance, used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the platform. The fire spread quickly along the walls and ceiling area over the dance floor. Smoke was visible in the exit doorways in a little more than one minute, and flames were observed breaking through a portion of the roof in less than five minutes. Egress from the nightclub, which was not equipped with sprinklers, was hampered by crowding at the main entrance to the building. One hundred people lost their lives in the fire. On Feb. 27, 2003, under the