Читать книгу Disaster Response and Recovery - David A. McEntire - Страница 51

Panic flight, or the fleeing of many individuals from what appears to be imminent harm, is extremely rare. However, when panic flight does occur, it has resulted in death and injuries under certain situations. Panic flight is most likely to occur when large crowds gather at concerts, sporting venues and other large public gatherings. An example took place on February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The rock band Great White was performing at a nightclub in this city. The road manager used pyrotechnics inside the building, causing the ceiling to catch on fire. As the fire spread quickly, occupants headed for the doors. Because most people exited the same way they entered the building, a bottleneck ensued, and many were trampled or became stuck. Around 100 people died in the blaze and over 180 were injured. The tragedy consequently prompted a review of fire exits and sprinkler systems around the nation. Such events have occurred elsewhere around the world.