Two Fatality Board and Care Facility Fire Salvation Army Rehabilitation Center - (Miami, Florida - November 11, 1995) » Overview

On November 12, 1995, a late night arson fire heavily damaged the second and third floors of a Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center in Miami, Florida, and claimed the lives of two residents. Dozens of residents had to be rescued by fire fighters using ground ladders, assisted by some of the early evacuees. Many of the 98 residents who escaped required treatment for smoke inhalation; three were transported in critical condition to local hospitals.

The first companies on the scene found residents hanging from the windows on the third floor, attempting to escape the heavy smoke. Some had knotted sheets into makeshift ladders and climbed out of the building, while most waited to be evacuated by fire department ladders.

Fire department personnel conducted interior search and rescue operations to evacuate the remaining residents, as well as providing medical assistance. Fire department rescue squads and private ambulances were besieged, as the victims sought medical assistance.

Investigators determined the area of origin to be a small open waiting area outside a group of offices on the second floor. Heavy smoke from the burning furnishings in that area spread throughout the second floor corridors and up to the third floor via open stairway doors. Most sleeping room doors were closed, but the latching devices had been disabled. This prevented the doors from closing completely and contributed to the spread of the smoke.

The building was equipped with hurricane shutters which were installed on the outside of the building over the glass windows. The shutters hampered the residents attempting to exit through the windows, when the corridors became impassable because of heavy smoke conditions. Some residents used furniture to break out the shutters. There were instances of persons becoming stuck in windows from which the shutters had only been partially removed.

The building was equipped with a fire alarm system which consisted of pull stations and alarm bells in the corridors. Smoke detectors were installed in the sleeping rooms but were installed in only a few public areas. Smoke detectors were not connected to the fire alarm system. The fire alarm system had been deactivated by an on/off switch on the control panel.

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