Blog of Aaron J.: Doorway to Hell - an Analysis of Potential Sprinkler Performance

In 1984 tragedy struck the Great Adventure theme park when 8 teenagers were killed in the Haunted Castle attraction. The fire, believed (not proven) to have been started by a an individual playing with a lighter, has seen a great deal of controversy, and differing of opinions, through out the years. The resulting code changes created the special amusement requirements in NFPA 101.

In the video below, Jack Fairchild, a certified fire protection specialist with Ballinger A/E, discusses the history and impact of this fire, and guides us through his analysis of the potential effectiveness of fire sprinkler systems, he answers the question, "Would sprinklers have saved these kids?"