Study of the Occupant's Behavior during the Ambleside Fire in Ottawa on January 31, 1997

On 31 January 1997, a fire occurred in a 25-storey highrise apartment building located in Ottawa, Ontario. The building contains 296 condominium-apartments owned mainly by senior citizens. The fire started in an apartment on the 6th floor and rapidly burned through the apartment entrance door to migrate into the corridor. One of the two elderly occupants of the apartment of fire origin called 911 at 16:34. The local fire department arrived on location at 16:39 and extinguished the fire within 10 minutes. The fire incident resulted in many interesting findings regarding the occupants'behaviour. The impact of the voice communication system, the occupants' age and characteristics, as well as the occupants' attitudes toward evacuation, as a result of the fire, are noteworthy and are discussed in this report.Le 31 janvier 1997 avait lieu un incendie dans un immeuble de grande hauteur de 25 etages a Ottawa en Ontario. Le batiment contenait 296 appartements en copropriete occupes principalement par des personnes agees. L'incendie a debute dans un appartement du 6ieme etage pour se propager rapidement dans le corridor principal de I'immeuble en brclant de part en part la porte d'entree du logement. Une des deux personnes agees de I'appartement oh I'incendie a debute, telephonait au 91 1 a 16:34 pour les aviser du fsu. Les pompiers sont arrives rapidement sur place a 16:39, le feu etait circonscrit puis eteint en moins de 10 minutes. Le comportement des occupants pendant cet incendie est particulierement interessant a etudier. L'impact de I'usage du systeme de communication phonique, Sage et les caraderistiques des occupants, ainsi que I'attitude des occupants face I'evacuation suite 5 cet incendie, sont des elements majeurs discutes dans ce rapport.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye