On June 30, 1989, a rapidly developing fire in the sixth floor of a 10-story office building in Atlanta killed five people and injured twenty others. The fire began when an electrician attempted to insert a fuse into an energized circuit with a load in it. Massive arcing occured, and ignited the interior finish materials. Making matters worse, the fire blocked an exit access corridor.
NFPA's analysis of the incident identified several factors that contributed to the loss of life and property:
- Rapid development of a severe fire as a result of arcing
- The immediate blockage of the egress path due to the location of the room of fire origin and the rapid spread of fire in the corridor
- The absence of automatic sprinkler protection