Apartment Complex Fire, 66 Units Destroyed (Seattle, WA - September 1991) » Escape

Tenants had choices in their escape routes, and exercised them. One tenant quoted in a Seattle newspaper said that when he got to a stairway and found it engulfed in flames. He led his wife to the opposite end of the hallway, then went back to ensure his neighbors escaped.

Though the tenants did not believe the fire even existed at first and then did not react quickly, once they did decide to move they took care of their children. This was a significant difference from many fatal fires where children are left behind. Neighbors helped each other as well as their own families. Children were dropped into waiting arms. People assisted each other in climbing down balconies or finding alternative escape routes.

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