NIST to investigate Rhode Island fire under NCST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched an investigation into the tragic fire of Feb. 20, 2003, at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I. The work is being conducted under the authorities of the National Construction Safety Team (NCST) Act. NIST will lead a team of public and private-sector fire and safety experts to carry out the investigation.

Under the act, NIST is responsible for conducting fact-finding investigations of building-related failures that result in substantial loss of life.

The team's primary objectives will be to:

• determine the conditions in the nightclub prior to the fire, such as the materials of construction and contents; the location and conditions of doors, windows and ventilation; the installed fire protection systems; the number of occupants and their approximate locations;
• reconstruct the fire ignition, fire spread and survivability within the building using computer models;
• examine the impact on survivability of having an installed sprinkler system, all other conditions being the same; and analyze the emergency evacuation and occupant responses to better understand the impediments to safe egress.

The NIST investigation will be conducted in close cooperation with other federal and private-sector agencies; and state and local fire and law enforcement agencies. It could result in recommendations for specific changes to building codes, standards and practices.

The decision to launch the NIST investigation was made following an onsite evaluation conducted Feb. 22-23, 2003, by two NIST fire researchers, and discussions with other investigators on the scene in Rhode Island.

For more on the NCST, go to www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/constructionact.htm.

---

---