Difference between revisions of "Maury County Jail Fire of 1977"

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==Background==
 
==Background==
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The building then used as the Maury County Jail was constructed in 1963 and opened in 1964.<ref>[https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Resources/Fire-Investigations/maury-county-jail.ashx "42 Die in Maury County, Tennessee, Jail Fire." ''NFPA Fire Journal.'' March 1978. pp. 30-31, 37. Web (nfpa.org). 10 Feb. 2021.]</ref><ref>[https://info.nicic.gov/nicrp/system/files/023494.pdf Schwartz, Jeffrey A., and Barry, Cynthia. ''A Guide to Preparing for and Responding to Jail Emergencies.'' Washington, United States Department of Justice-National Institute of Corrections, 2009, p. 155. Web (nicic.gov). 10 Feb. 2021.]</ref> It replaced the previous jail that was constructed in 1884 that stood on the same site.<ref>McClure, Sue. "Cell doors sprung for new duty." ''The Tennessean.'' 8 April 1999. p. 1B. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.</ref> The building was constructed (more or less) in the shape of a cross, with four wings. The north wing (furthest from East 6th Street) was called the "workhouse" and had ten cells (five on either side) that housed four prisoners each. The west wing contained storage areas, the kitchen, laundry, and two maximum-security, two-person cells. The east wing contained two "drunk tanks", a padded cell for disruptive prisoners, and two eight-person cells (one of which was used for female prisoners). The south wing (nearest East 6th Street) contained the sheriff's office and other administrative and operational rooms. At the center of the jail was the dispatch room.<ref>''NFPA Fire Journal'' at 30-31.</ref><ref>Schwartz and Barry at pp. 155-156.</ref>
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The building then used as the Maury County Jail was constructed in 1963 and opened in 1964.<ref>[https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Resources/Fire-Investigations/maury-county-jail.ashx "42 Die in Maury County, Tennessee, Jail Fire." ''NFPA Fire Journal.'' March 1978. pp. 30-31, 37. Web (nfpa.org). 10 Feb. 2021.]</ref><ref>[https://info.nicic.gov/nicrp/system/files/023494.pdf Schwartz, Jeffrey A., and Barry, Cynthia. ''A Guide to Preparing for and Responding to Jail Emergencies.'' Washington, United States Department of Justice-National Institute of Corrections, 2009, p. 155. Web (nicic.gov). 10 Feb. 2021.]</ref> It replaced the previous jail that was constructed in 1884 that stood on the same site.<ref>McClure, Sue. "Cell doors sprung for new duty." ''The Tennessean.'' 8 April 1999. p. 1B. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.</ref> The building was constructed (more or less) in the shape of a cross, with four wings. The north wing (furthest from East 6th Street) was called the "workhouse" and had ten cells (five on either side) that housed four prisoners each. The west wing contained storage areas, the kitchen, laundry, and two maximum-security, two-person cells. The east wing contained two "drunk tanks", a padded cell for disruptive prisoners, and two eight-person cells (one of which was used for female prisoners). The south wing (nearest East 6th Street) contained the sheriff's office and other administrative and operational rooms. At the center of the jail was the dispatch room.<ref>''NFPA Fire Journal'' at pp. 30-31.</ref><ref>Schwartz and Barry at pp. 155-156.</ref>
  
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The cell doors of the jail could be operated manually or remotely, but each door required a separate key, and there were only two sets of keys (one of these sets was in the possession of Sheriff Bill Voss, who was not present at the jail that day).<ref>Schwartz and Barry at 156.</ref> The jail had portable dry-chemical fire extinguishers, but it had no manual fire alarm or smoke detectors, nor did it have a fire-suppression system (e.g. sprinklers). With the exception of the padded room, the jail was built from fire-resistant materials. Due to a lack of a secure refuge area, the only practical response to a fire would be for all of the building's occupants to exit the building.<ref>''NFPA Fire Journal'' at 30-31, 37.</ref><ref>Schwartz and Barry at pp. 155-156.</ref>
+
The cell doors of the jail could be operated manually or remotely, but each door required a separate key, and there were only two sets of keys (one of these sets was in the possession of Sheriff Bill Voss, who was not present at the jail that day).<ref>Schwartz and Barry at p. 156.</ref> The jail had portable dry-chemical fire extinguishers, but it had no manual fire alarm or smoke detectors, nor did it have a fire-suppression system (e.g. sprinklers). Due to a lack of a secure refuge area, the only practical response to a fire would be for all of the building's occupants to exit the building.<ref>''NFPA Fire Journal'' at pp. 30-31, 37.</ref><ref>Schwartz and Barry at pp. 155-156.</ref>
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The jail was built from fire-resistant materials, but the padding in the padded room was combustible.<ref>''NFPA Fire Journal'' at pp. 30-31.</ref> Despite these flaws, the Maury County Jail had been giving a passing grade - indeed, the head of the inspection department later praised it as "one of the better jails in the state" -- during a routine state inspection only two days before the fire (Friday, June 24).<ref>Associated Press. "No Fire Codes Violated in Jail." ''The (Clarksville, Tenn.) Leaf-Chronicle.'' 28 June 1977. p. 2. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.</ref>  
  
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June 26 was a Sunday, which was a visitation day at the county jail. At the time of the fire, dozens of visitors were present.<ref>''NFPA Fire Journal'' at 31. The exact number of prisoners and visitors present is unclear; the ''NFPA Fire Journal'' report, which is a summary of the Tennessee State Fire Marshall's investigation, states that there were 63 prisoners in the jail at the time and 20 visitors present. The ''Tennessean'' article printed the day after the fire states 64 prisoners (they also stated 34 prisoners and 8 visitors died, so it is possible that one of the visitors was initially misidentified as being a prisoner). Schwartz and Barry - who do not cite sources, although presumably had access to official reports -- state at p. 156 that the jail population was only 40 and do not state a number of visitors; their figure seems suspiciously low given 42 deaths and approximately 30 injuries (meaning that there must have been at least 72 people present). Coggins, whose work is based primarily on media reports, states 56 prisoners and 40 visitors.</ref>
+
June 26 was a Sunday, which was a visitation day at the county jail. At the time of the fire, dozens of visitors were present.<ref>''NFPA Fire Journal'' at p. 31. The exact number of prisoners and visitors present is unclear; the ''NFPA Fire Journal'' report, which is a summary of the Tennessee State Fire Marshall's investigation, states that there were 63 prisoners in the jail at the time and 20 visitors present. The ''Tennessean'' article printed the day after the fire states 64 prisoners (they also stated 34 prisoners and 8 visitors died, so it is possible that one of the visitors was initially misidentified as being a prisoner). Schwartz and Barry - who do not cite sources, although presumably had access to official reports -- state at p. 156 that the jail population was only 40 and do not state a number of visitors; their figure seems suspiciously low given 42 deaths and approximately 30 injuries (meaning that there must have been at least 72 people present). Coggins, whose work is based primarily on media reports, states 56 prisoners and 40 visitors.</ref>
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Andrew Zinmer, an emotionally-disturbed 16-year old boy, was picked up by local law enforcement for hitch-hiking along Interstate 65 in southern Maury County on the morning of Saturday, June 25. Zinmer, who had run away from a Wisconsin state home earlier that week, was placed in his own cell apart from the adult population for his protection.<ref>Schwartz and Barry at 156.</ref><ref>Coggins at 113.</ref><ref>Deckbar, Margaret. "Jail Fire Cited as Need for Runaway Program." '''The Tennessean.'' 28 June 1977. p. 22. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.</ref> On Sunday, Zinmer was temporarily placed in the padded cell in the east wing of the jail after the toilet in his cell was plugged (allegedly by Zinmer himself as a prank), causing the cell to be flooded.<ref>''NFPA Fire Program'' at p. 31</ref></ref><ref>Coggins at p. 113.</ref>
  
 
==Fire and Rescue Efforts==
 
==Fire and Rescue Efforts==
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After visitation hours started at 12:30 p.m., Zinmer asked one of the visitors in the jail for a cigarette. The visitor obliged Zinmer's request, and gave him an unlit cigarette and some means of ignition.<ref>The ''NFPA Fire Journal'' at p. 31 states that the visitor gave Zinmer his own, lit cigarette to light his with; Schwartz and Barry at p. 156 state that the visitor gave Zinmer matches; contemporary reports quote the visitor who allegedly gave Zinmer the cigarette as saying he gave him one unlit and one lit cigarette. UPI. "Maury Jail Visitor Admits He Passed Cigarettes To Boy Charged In Fire." ''The Kingsport (Tenn.) Times.'' 28 June 1977. p. 1. Web (newspapers.com)> 10 Feb. 2021.</ref>
  
  

Revision as of 22:46, 10 February 2021

The Maury County Jail Fire of 1977 was a fire that broke out at the (now former) Maury County Jail on June 26, 1977.[1] Forty-two people -- 33 prisoners and 9 visitors -- died as the result of this fire. The fire has been included among the worst tragedies in Tennessee history.[2]

Background

The building then used as the Maury County Jail was constructed in 1963 and opened in 1964.[3][4] It replaced the previous jail that was constructed in 1884 that stood on the same site.[5] The building was constructed (more or less) in the shape of a cross, with four wings. The north wing (furthest from East 6th Street) was called the "workhouse" and had ten cells (five on either side) that housed four prisoners each. The west wing contained storage areas, the kitchen, laundry, and two maximum-security, two-person cells. The east wing contained two "drunk tanks", a padded cell for disruptive prisoners, and two eight-person cells (one of which was used for female prisoners). The south wing (nearest East 6th Street) contained the sheriff's office and other administrative and operational rooms. At the center of the jail was the dispatch room.[6][7]

The cell doors of the jail could be operated manually or remotely, but each door required a separate key, and there were only two sets of keys (one of these sets was in the possession of Sheriff Bill Voss, who was not present at the jail that day).[8] The jail had portable dry-chemical fire extinguishers, but it had no manual fire alarm or smoke detectors, nor did it have a fire-suppression system (e.g. sprinklers). Due to a lack of a secure refuge area, the only practical response to a fire would be for all of the building's occupants to exit the building.[9][10] The jail was built from fire-resistant materials, but the padding in the padded room was combustible.[11] Despite these flaws, the Maury County Jail had been giving a passing grade - indeed, the head of the inspection department later praised it as "one of the better jails in the state" -- during a routine state inspection only two days before the fire (Friday, June 24).[12]

June 26 was a Sunday, which was a visitation day at the county jail. At the time of the fire, dozens of visitors were present.[13]

Andrew Zinmer, an emotionally-disturbed 16-year old boy, was picked up by local law enforcement for hitch-hiking along Interstate 65 in southern Maury County on the morning of Saturday, June 25. Zinmer, who had run away from a Wisconsin state home earlier that week, was placed in his own cell apart from the adult population for his protection.[14][15][16] On Sunday, Zinmer was temporarily placed in the padded cell in the east wing of the jail after the toilet in his cell was plugged (allegedly by Zinmer himself as a prank), causing the cell to be flooded.[17]</ref>[18]

Fire and Rescue Efforts

After visitation hours started at 12:30 p.m., Zinmer asked one of the visitors in the jail for a cigarette. The visitor obliged Zinmer's request, and gave him an unlit cigarette and some means of ignition.[19]


Aftermath

References

  1. ↑ "42 Die in Jail Fire." The Tennessean. 27 June 1977. p. 1. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.
  2. ↑ Coggins, Allen. Tennessee Tragedies: Natural, Technological, and Social Disasters in the Volunteer State. Knoxville, University of Tennessee Press, 2012, pp. 113-114. Web (proquest.com). 10 Feb. 2021.
  3. ↑ "42 Die in Maury County, Tennessee, Jail Fire." NFPA Fire Journal. March 1978. pp. 30-31, 37. Web (nfpa.org). 10 Feb. 2021.
  4. ↑ Schwartz, Jeffrey A., and Barry, Cynthia. A Guide to Preparing for and Responding to Jail Emergencies. Washington, United States Department of Justice-National Institute of Corrections, 2009, p. 155. Web (nicic.gov). 10 Feb. 2021.
  5. ↑ McClure, Sue. "Cell doors sprung for new duty." The Tennessean. 8 April 1999. p. 1B. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.
  6. ↑ NFPA Fire Journal at pp. 30-31.
  7. ↑ Schwartz and Barry at pp. 155-156.
  8. ↑ Schwartz and Barry at p. 156.
  9. ↑ NFPA Fire Journal at pp. 30-31, 37.
  10. ↑ Schwartz and Barry at pp. 155-156.
  11. ↑ NFPA Fire Journal at pp. 30-31.
  12. ↑ Associated Press. "No Fire Codes Violated in Jail." The (Clarksville, Tenn.) Leaf-Chronicle. 28 June 1977. p. 2. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.
  13. ↑ NFPA Fire Journal at p. 31. The exact number of prisoners and visitors present is unclear; the NFPA Fire Journal report, which is a summary of the Tennessee State Fire Marshall's investigation, states that there were 63 prisoners in the jail at the time and 20 visitors present. The Tennessean article printed the day after the fire states 64 prisoners (they also stated 34 prisoners and 8 visitors died, so it is possible that one of the visitors was initially misidentified as being a prisoner). Schwartz and Barry - who do not cite sources, although presumably had access to official reports -- state at p. 156 that the jail population was only 40 and do not state a number of visitors; their figure seems suspiciously low given 42 deaths and approximately 30 injuries (meaning that there must have been at least 72 people present). Coggins, whose work is based primarily on media reports, states 56 prisoners and 40 visitors.
  14. ↑ Schwartz and Barry at 156.
  15. ↑ Coggins at 113.
  16. ↑ Deckbar, Margaret. "Jail Fire Cited as Need for Runaway Program." 'The Tennessean. 28 June 1977. p. 22. Web (newspapers.com). 10 Feb. 2021.
  17. ↑ NFPA Fire Program at p. 31
  18. ↑ Coggins at p. 113.
  19. ↑ The NFPA Fire Journal at p. 31 states that the visitor gave Zinmer his own, lit cigarette to light his with; Schwartz and Barry at p. 156 state that the visitor gave Zinmer matches; contemporary reports quote the visitor who allegedly gave Zinmer the cigarette as saying he gave him one unlit and one lit cigarette. UPI. "Maury Jail Visitor Admits He Passed Cigarettes To Boy Charged In Fire." The Kingsport (Tenn.) Times. 28 June 1977. p. 1. Web (newspapers.com)> 10 Feb. 2021.

External Links

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