The Glass Inferno

THE GLASS INFERNO

by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson

For Martha, Emilie and Richard -in Appreciation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

No project of the size and scope of THE GLASS INFERNO can be the sole product of the authors. From May 1972, when the project was first conceived, to the present, a great many people have contributed their time and technical information to the book.

Errors, nevertheless, do creep in and for these we.assume full responsibility. In some instances we have taken auctorial license, particularly in minimizing the smoke hazards of high-rise fires.

THE GLASS INFERNO is not intended as an indictment of architects or contractors-there are no such villains in the book-but rather as a comment , on the nature of human error and the economic pressures inherent in modern building technology. The city is nowhere identified since all modern cities and towns, to a greater or lesser degree, face the same problems in fighting high-rise fires. The Glass House itself, as the reader might expect, is a composite of many such buildings.

And, of course, the characters of THE GLASS INFERNO exist only in our imaginations, and any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is not intentional.

We would like to thank Inspector James I. King of the San Francisco Fire Department, Architect Rob Hult and Researcher Gene Klinger for valuable technical information and for reading and commenting on the final manuscript. We are also indebted for specialized technical information and help to retired Fire Administrator Warren Pietro, Anchorman Bob Marshall of K.G.O, helicopter pilot and Chief Warrant Officer Gerald W. Fisch, Attorney David Hodgehead, and Marion Cole of the National Fire Protection Association. Special thanks for thoroughness go to our research assistants, Kathy Fast and Tom Passavant. Finally, a bow of appreciation to two very patient ladies: Jan McMillan, who often worked into the night hours on manuscript drafts, and our editor Diane Cleaver who, with others at Doubleday, was more than kind and helpful to us. -Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson

Early Evening