Iroquois Theater Fire

Drawing of the Iroquois Theater fire, a great tragedy due to improper evacuation planning, fire code violations and lack of fire safety planning.

Rights and responsibility go hand in hand.

As a society, we recognize the responsibility of all to care for those less able, such as children, the elderly, and the ill. We recognize the responsibility of the employer to care for employee safety. We recognize the responsibility of the landlord for tenant safety. We have the responsibility of safety for visitors in our home. In return we expect our right to personal safety be recognized.

Not complying with fire codes is selfish and a false economy. All too often, advancements in fire codes have come from terrible tragedies, where people could not escape a fire in time.

Links to some background on tragedies that led to the development of fire codes.

The Iroquois Theater Fire prompted widespread implementation of the panic bar, asbestos stage curtains in theaters and exit doors that open outward.

The MGM Grand Fire led to all public buildings in Nevada being required to have fire sprinklers, smoke detectors in rooms and elevators, and exit maps in all hotel rooms.

The Station Night Club Fire led to automatic fire sprinklers in all nightclubs and similar locations with 100 or more occupants, plus additional crowd manager personnel.

The Our Lady of the Angels Fire led to wide spread changes in school fire safety regulations.

The Triangle Factory Fire led to better building exits, fireproofing requirements, the availability of fire extinguishers, the installation of alarm systems and automatic sprinklers in factories.

The Katie Jane Nursing Home Fire led to minimum safety standards for nursing homes

The Collinwood School Fire led to fire breaks in building design to reduce the chimney effect

The Winecoff Hotel Fire led to requirements for multiple means of exit, protected by self-closing fire-resistant doors for guest rooms in hotels.

How do we measure fires prevented, lives saved, or property damage minimized?

Cost benefit analysis is difficult because of the complex set of circumstances leading to lives saved or property preserved. However, fire codes have evolved over the years to remedy situations where fire was not prevented, property was damaged and lives were lost. Circumstances surely leading to death or destruction by fire are well-known.

While minimal safety planning, just meeting fire codes, tips the odds in favour of a positive outcome, good safety planning, where building owners are doing more than what is asked of them, especially when people's lives are at stake, benefits owners and all of us. Exposure to civil or criminal liability in the event of an incident is reduced. The company retains the trust of employees and customers. Fines from Federal, Provincial and local agencies are avoided.

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