After a deadly fire swept through a ski lodge in Turkey on Tuesday, killing at least 79 people, multiple surviving guests and hotel workers said that they did not hear fire alarms and, in their desperate attempt to get out, could not locate the fire escapes.
In the United States, an estimated 3,900 fires break out in hotels and motels annually, leading to around 15 deaths, 100 injuries and $100 million in property losses, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, a department of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Acrid air is a bigger danger than flames, with between 60 and 80 percent of sudden deaths from smoke inhalation.
The federal Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 encourages hotels, motels and other public places of accommodation in the United States to install hard-wired smoke alarms in each guest room and for buildings with more than three stories, to also install automatic sprinkler systems in each guest room. But laws enforcing safety codes are determined on state and other local levels, and can vary. The European Union also offers guidelines for fire safety; codes in member nations that are legally binding issued at the country or local level.
“Many people assume that when they stay at a hotel, the needed safety systems are in place, but unfortunately that’s not always the case,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at the National Fire Protection Association.
On a vacation, the potential for fires and other dangerous situations is often far from mind. But in rare instances, terrifying tragedy can come fast. These tips can help you prepare for a fire emergency in a hotel.
Before you travel
Look for hotels with hard-wired smoke alarms and sprinkler systems in each room. The accommodation’s website might provide that information, or check the U.S. Fire Administration master list online of the hotels and motels in the United States that report they have at least one smoke alarm in every room and an automatic fire sprinkler system for buildings four stories or taller.