Fire-Related Aspects of the Northridge Earthquake.
Fire-Related Aspects of the Northridge Earthquake.
(26338 K)
Scawthorn, C.; Cowell, A. D.; Borden, F.
NIST GCR 98-743; 164 p. March 1998.
Sponsor:
National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Gaithersburg, MD
Available from:
: National Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161.
Telephone:
1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000;
Fax: 703-605-6900; Rush
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Website:
http://www.ntis.gov
Order number: PB99-102642
Keywords:
earthquakes; fire data; fire departments; fire
investigations; ignition source; water supply
Abstract:
Data collection and analyses relevant to fires following
the Mw 6.7 Northridge Earthquake on January 17, 1994
were performed with the support of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology. In the period
4:31 AM (i.e., time of main shock) to midnight, there
were approximately 110 earthquake related fires.
Incident data is compiled in a database termed FFNRE
(Fires Following the NorthRidge Earthquake), which is
provided in hardcopy form and magnetic media (diskette),
as well as being available on the Internet (at
www.eqe.com). Fire department operations are detailed
at five selected fire incidents. Analyses, and
comparison with the 1971 San Fernando and 1995 Hanshin
(Kobe) earthquakes, identified a number of ignition
factors and provides important observations, lessons and
avenues for future research (regarding ignition sources,
fire service operations, and utility performance)
towards mitigation of this problem.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899