Do You Check for Fire Exits?

Fukuyama

I watched a video yesterday that was posted on Boards that changed how I'm going to act in nightclubs, at gigs, concerts and other mass gatherings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DObOdAceGo

It's pretty shocking but it really hit home because what happened in that video could happen to any of us. Within seconds the club is filling with smoke as hundreds of people try to make their way out the main entrance. Pushing shoving and eventually being engulfed in thick black smoke.

I cant think of a worse way to die - in a panic filled room with hundreds of people pushing and shoving as you suffocate on thick black smoke.

I'm glad I watched it though as it opened my eyes. Most of the people died that night because they went for the main entrance they were familiar with instead of using the fire exits mere feet away. I couldn't tell you where the fire exits are in venues I frequent regularly, let alone clubs and venues I'm not familiar with. From now on I'm going to have a quick glance around.

Do you know where fire exits are in clubs and pubs your frequent and would you actually use them if the place caught on fire?

Agricola

Dean0088 wrote: »

Do you know where fire exits are in clubs and pubs your frequent and would you actually use them if the place caught on fire?

No, Id rather die in a fire

Kensington

Well of course I'd use them!
But yeah, I would always have a quick check on ways out of a place. Rammed pub or nightclub, sometimes in low lighting, full of drunk punters, if a fire breaks out the place is almost guaranteed to erupt into mass panic. Most people don't die or pick up injuries from the fire itself, it's the crowd crushing as people try to force their way out the main entrance and people trapped further in are overcome by smoke.

ImpossibleDuck

Q: Do I check for fire exits?
A: No

Q: Do I check for exits if, say, a team of terrorists/ninjas/whatever come flying through the door?
A: Yes.

James Forde

how many people died?

Fukuyama

But does research not tell us that when in a venue that begins to fill with both smoke and panic, people tend to turn on their heels and try to use the exit they came in thus blocking it up.

Would the average person, with a few pints on them, overcome the hysteria and look around to see if there was a fire exit nearby?

bonerm

I don't know where the exits are but luckily I don't like bands that need to resort to cheap pyrotechnic theatrics either, so I should be ok.

Solnskaya

I always check where all exits are, just in case the FBI* come in the front door-I will sneakily vanish out the back, Bourne like. Just as an aside, next time you are in a nightclub, small dribble of sick running down your t-shirt, bouncing madly on the spot to "your favorite song", so pi55ed that you reckon Angelina Jolie herself would surely give you one there and then, trying madly to focus you vision "cos if I concentrate, I can make myself less drunk", just ask yourself: "even if I knew where the exit was, could me and this other bunch of spaced out ravers really make it to it without falling over each other".
And don't forget, there will be 100 other equally pi55ed people all heading in the same direction, in the dark, some wearing heels. Doesn't really bear thinking about, does it?





*Feckers Bringing Invoices

Mr.Crinklewood

ImpossibleDuck wrote: »

Q: Do I check for fire exits?
A: No

Q: Do I check for exits if, say, a team of terrorists/ninjas/whatever come flying through the door?
A: Yes.

We will have booby trapped the fire exits.

bonerm

bryanjf wrote: »

how many people died?

100
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire

Archeron

Yes always. My mum and dad both lost friends in Stardust, so its something that kind of sticks in my mind.

Zebra3

Dean0088 wrote: »

Do you know where fire exits are in clubs and pubs your frequent and would you actually use them if the place caught on fire?

I'd use the fire exits so long as they weren't on fire.

Fukuyama

bryanjf wrote: »

how many people died?

100 out of 400 people. Tragic.

The fire started because of a faulty pyrotechnics machine. But in reality all it takes is some gob****e to try have a crafty fag in the toilets or one exposed electrical connection to start a small ember smoldering. If that video thought me anything is that in the time it takes to do a shot a club can go from lively atmosphere to a smoke filled hysterical mess.

Fukuyama

Agricola wrote: »

No, Id rather die in a fire

Judging by the time you posted, and the time I made the original post, I think it's safe to assume that you didn't read my OP or watch the video. Rather you quickly replied in a shamless Thanks Whore fashion. :rolleyes:

G_R

Honestly, I didn't before, but having seen that video the other day I will do in future.

I used to think that all the 'fire drills' and 'crowd control during fires' that we did in work were pointless - people aren't stupid, they can see where the exit signs point, i thought.

After watching that I can see why just having one calm head in the group of 200 could make all the difference. For example if a member of staff was to start redirecting customers to the fire exits instead of them all running for the door, it might have been different. (Obviously, I cant know that for sure, may have made no difference whatsoever)

Coriolanus

I make sure to be long gone by the time the fire starts.

Fukuyama

Grand_Rajnah wrote: »

Honestly, I didn't before, but having seen that video the other day I will do in future.

I used to think that all the 'fire drills' and 'crowd control during fires' that we did in work were pointless - people aren't stupid, they can see where the exit signs point, i thought.

After watching that I can see why just having one calm head in the group of 200 could make all the difference. For example if a member of staff was to start redirecting customers to the fire exits instead of them all running for the door, it might have been different. (Obviously, I cant know that for sure, may have made no difference whatsoever)

That's exactly how I felt having watched it an was the kind of attitude I was hoping to instill in those who read the OP. It could happen to any of us and knowing how quickly things can go downhill is important.

You're totally correct. If the few people who actually used the fire exits had instructed even a few others to do so then things might have been entirely different.

The band who were playing can be seen jumping off the stage and running out the firedoor next to the stage. Meanwhile people who were right in front of the stage (2-3 meters from a fire exit) had their backs turned from the fire exits as they tried to push towards the main exit. They mostly all died. If the band (or anyone else) had pulled even a few people with them to get the crowd moving then fatalities could have been avoided.

D-Generate

Jesus christ, not often a video hits me but that has left me shocked. Poor people

Chuck Stone

Dean0088 wrote: »

would you actually use [fire doors] if the place caught on fire?

I'm not sure.

Agricola

Dean0088 wrote: »

Judging by the time you posted, and the time I made the original post, I think it's safe to assume that you didn't read my OP or watch the video. Rather you quickly replied in a shamless Thanks Whore fashion. :rolleyes:

No, I really would like to die in a fire. Im a pyromaniac.

Locker10a

Ever since i saw a programe on tv about Stardust i locate the exits in pubs and clubs! It always crosses my mind but im sure i one of very few.

Another show that made a huge impact on me was the Manchester Runway Disaster! Was about a plane that caught fire before takeoff and turned into an inferno in seconds! Alot of people died trying to find the exits in thick smoke!
Most of us have flown before and have seen the crew point out the exits but we dont appreciate this info at all because we dont realise, like the OPs video how fast smoke and fire spreads and how dangerous it is!
Also the "trollie Dollies" play a vital role in directing and evacuation , i have so much more respect for the role they play in ensuring safety after that show!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrTHgEs4rwc

Danbo!

Everywhere I go. I used to do fire cert applications in work for new buildings, so once you know the regs you realise how important it is. Every hotel I'll check the plan on the back of the door, every club/venue I'll check where the nearest exits are, I do it subconsciously at this stage.

I was in a pub in Italy once and the jacks were downstairs in the basement, but there was no stairs, just a ****ty lift. No one with me seemed concerned in any way, and thought it was odd that I went to the pub next door when I needed 'the facilities'. Chances of a fire breaking out while in the basement were slim, but chances of getting out if there was a fire was zero.

Locker10a

Danbo! wrote: »

I was in a pub in Italy once and the jacks were downstairs in the basement, but there was no stairs, just a ****ty lift. No one with me seemed concerned in any way, and thought it was odd that I went to the pub next door when I needed 'the facilities'. Chances of a fire breaking out while in the basement were slim, but chances of getting out if there was a fire was zero.

my god are you for real ? Surly there are european regulations that outlaw this? If not there should be! There should always be a stairs with a lift as an option! Thats madness!:eek:

Jesus Wept

Agricola wrote: »

No, Id rather die in a fire

?

OPENROAD

In hotels I normally check the back of the door and then take a walk to the exits. I also sometimes count the number of doors to the exit.

On a plane I always count the number of seats in front and behind me to the nearest exit.

Saila

Dean0088 wrote: »

The fire started because of a faulty pyrotechnics machine.

I doubt the machine was faulty, more the genius who decided to use the machine indoors with curtains beside it

manslaughter right there 100 deaths on his conscience :eek:

Kensington

Dean0088 wrote: »

The fire started because of a faulty pyrotechnics machine. But in reality all it takes is some gob****e to try have a crafty fag in the toilets or one exposed electrical connection to start a small ember smoldering. If that video thought me anything is that in the time it takes to do a shot a club can go from lively atmosphere to a smoke filled hysterical mess.

The pyrotechnics machine was set off near highly flammable sound insulation behind the stage - the material was not fireproof, should not have been used for what it was and there's no indication pyrotechnics were even permitted to be used.

Factor in then it was an old building, primarily wooden construction, wasn't built to modern fire regs, had no modern fire proofing, poorly marked fire exits, was not cleared for use as a high crowd density nightclub and most critically did not have a sprinkler system, it was just a fatal combination.

I think most places with high density crowds here have a sprinkler system in place now? So if a fire did start, it should be contained long enough to stop it spreading rapidly and get everyone out safely.

richymcdermott

We didnt start the fire

Feckfox

I always check. Bit dumb not to.

BluesBerry

That was terrifying to watch I never really noticed fire exits before but will now

df1985

I watched that vid in the original thread and it horrified me.

I can only really speak from regularly going out in dublin bu think of all the nightclubs in dublin that are in old converted buildings, or down narrow stairs to places with low ceilings etc.

baggot st, harcourt st, leeson st all have a number of these type that spring to mind along with plenty others round the city. now add in how insanely packed dublin nightclubs can get........no way everyone would get out.

Im sure they all have firedoors, but in most of them off the top of my head I dont know where they are....and in a panic like that youd head straight for the way ye know id imagine.

Saila

anyone elses night/mood ruined by the thread, sickening! :mad:
to hear the people dying like that :eek::(

stoneill

In general most people outside of the fire services will underestimate how quickly fire can spread unless. No real frame of reference or experience to go with.

Very few people will burn to death, you will already be dead from smoke inhalation. The video just shows how a room can be billowing thick black toxic smoke in 1:30 from the initial fire, just a minute from when the alarm sounded.
It's not the smoke you see in films, grey wispy smoke that can be combated by holding a wet towel over your face. It's as toxic as any dangerous chemical you care to mention. One lung full of that and you are a gone.
Most people have a herd mentality - follow the crowd, make your way out the way you came in, this is why so may bodies are found at the usual exits.

I did a training session with the fire service in a smoke filled room, wearing breathing apparatus. We had to do a search and rescue - you cannot see anything. It's easier to close your eyes and do a blind search than to try see.
Even the seat of the fire cannot be seen, you only know it's there from the intense heat and the roar.

Did you ever wake up in the middle of the night and try walk about your room in the dark, you might stub your toe on a dresser or the foot of the bed. You may fumble for the door handle. That's in a room that you are intimately familiar with. Now imagine trying to find your way blind through a unfamiliar place, full of screaming panicking people who will step on your face to get out ahead of you.
I always check for emergency exists.

dfx-

Fire exits are ok if not blocked by people in a doorway or near the source of the fire.

From what I remember the fire exit is that which the band escaped through and it is the door the cameraman goes to mid-video and asks if anyone is there before going back to the blocked entrance. It is just right of the stage....which is close to the fire. I wonder how many people knowing the exit is near the fire would, in the split seconds they have, head for it or the entrance which is away from the ignition. I'd argue that for a lot of people regardless of where the fire exit is, there isn't a herd of wild horses that will send them in the direction of the visible flames.

Prevention is better than the cure and not setting off pyrotechnics in a club that has curtains and no sprinkler system. I can't understand why some families claimed the manager who set them off was not guilty of anything.

gubernaculum

can't remember whether it was the FT or the economist but read a great article a while back about crowd mentality in emergency situations. it specifically referenced the head of security for one of the big companies in the world trade centre who made the whole company on that floor do an escape drill every week. they'd grumble about it but when 9/11 occurred, despite being on a high floor, the vast majority of workers on that floor survived. the idea was to bypass the initial urge to panic with a routine. people freeze in emergencies and those critical seconds may make the difference between living and dying. think they cited another incident where a hotel went on fire during a wedding and people died because they just froze or ignored the threat because they didn't have clear instructions, even though the fire exits were still visible and the fire didn't take hold in that area for a while. in another room, someone yelling out directions where to go meant the casualties were much lower. i think they concluded that the odds of survival are higher if you can a) rewire your panic response with a clear, well-thought out routine (the premise behind making a fire safety plan for your home) b) practicing it regularly (this seemed vital) and c) having a clear voice of authority to guide a crowd in an emergency. can't remember all the details but think that was the gist. it stuck with me 'cause i'd never really considered how i'd behave but know i'm a freezy panicker when something suddenly shocks me and would love to train myself out of it. so answer is no, i don't check as often as i should where the exits are but threads like this are a reminder to cop on and stop being so complacent.

jive

That video has made me think now that at the sight of fire to smash out a window and go through it because the fire exits will get clogged up with people. I know that isn't the point of the video but due to how appalling that video was I am now extremely paranoid. I will probably see a flaming shot or something and throw a fúcking stool through the window. Not often does a video have that kind of effect, even those driving ads have no affect on me because I know they're fake.

TouchingVirus

Dean0088 wrote: »

The fire started because of a faulty pyrotechnics machine.

The fire started because the sparks from the pyrotechnics hit flammable soundproofing at the back of the stage. They were set up and operated by the band manager who was given a jail sentence for involuntary manslaughter - they should never have been used.

Dean0088 wrote: »

The band who were playing can be seen jumping off the stage and running out the firedoor next to the stage.

The lead guitarist of the band died, I presume he ran out the same fire exit door

jive wrote: »

even those driving ads have no affect on me because I know they're fake.

You should view some pictures/videos of some traffic accidents, that'll sort you out then.

Cocaine

Saila wrote: »

anyone elses night/mood ruined by the thread, sickening! :mad:
to hear the people dying like that :eek::(

Those screams of that woman banging at a locked door are horrendous.
I think I most definitely will be checking fire exits from now on.
Scary.
Just think of various night clubs you've been in, can you think of the location of one fire exit? I know I can't.
Jesus, those screams will be in my head now.

jive

TouchingVirus wrote: »

You should view some pictures/videos of some traffic accidents, that'll sort you out then.

Nah because I'm not an idiot. I know the consequences of serious traffic accidents. I don't need actors to show me the consequences. With something like fire though it is hard to imagine how it happens so fast. With traffic accidents they are fairly easy to comprehend. Like when people mention fire it is usually the smoke that gets you... I can just imagine myself taking a big breath and running full tilt through flames to get out of a building; but the reality is that is extremely unlikely to end well. In my mind it makes perfect sense though. This video just shows how wrong I was in my mind.

Overheal

Not only do I check for fire exits, I check and memorize the license plates of all the cars outside, figure out the best likely spot to get a weapon, size up the muscle to see who would be the most trouble in a fight, and mentally gauge how far I could run at that altitude before my hands start shaking. Then when all that's done I have a drink and figure out who I am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S9y_zFGnKM

Show Time

As safety officer where i work it is my job to check every fire exit in the building as it would be my ass in the bacon slicer if anything went wrong.

booboo88

No I've never taken any notice, but after watching that video, i think i will from now on.
Could watch to the end. it is a bit ridiculous the props they were using, fire??? come one?
Do you know how many people died in that fire?

Fukuyama

Guys here's a simulation video that was also posted in the other thread.

It shows all the emergency exits and windows which are used by only a few dozen people out of the 400+ despite being meters away from them.

The crowd panic mentality kicks in an everyone rushes to the main entrance. A bottle neck jam is created and only a few people trickle out the main door as the crowd stands still and waits their turn to exit. Meanwhile, smoke fills the club and they begin to panic even more.

All this despite fire exits and windows being mere meters away.

How would you react?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmPOIriMiyU

Floodric

Christ. I often go out to Town with my two brothers, I can only imagine the horror if this happened and we were seperate. Worrying if the 3 of us got out alive, and thats not mentioning friends. I'll certainly be sharing this with them, and take it upon myself to suss out an exits the minute we arrive at any club.