Earlier this week I read several news reports of a disastrous fire in an overcrowded Honduras prison, where hundreds of prisoners died.  Many of them remained locked in their cells because there was reportedly only one staff member who had keys to the cells, and he left in the midst of the panic.  It made me wonder about the current code requirements for egress in prisons.  I know it's not something most of us encounter regularly, but inquiring minds want to know.

On this day in history, September 19th, 1902, a stampede at the Shiloh Baptist Church resulted in the deaths of 120 people.  The church was clearly over occupant load capacity with thousands packed in to hear Booker T Washington speak, but I wonder about the available exits.  Did the occupants rush the entrance door because that was the one they were familiar with?  Were other exits marked and operable?

Twenty years ago today, a fast-moving fire at the Imperial Foods chicken processing plant killed 25 and injured 54 of the 90 workers in the plant.  Although I think egress conditions and awareness have improved in the last 20 years, there's definitely room for continued improvement.  I frequently receive photos of appalling egress and fire door modifications, including some photos that I received this week of an office building exit that was blocked for construction, leaving only one exit for a 7-story office building.  I'll post those photos here soon.