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Introduction
Student housing is a particular type of building that, in addition to being a shelter for students attending the university, is expected to provide an additional requirement; namely; an environment that is attractive, conducive to learning and academic success, functional, in compliance with codes, and adequately provided with safety features. The [7] International Building Code (IBC) (2003)) defines dormitory or student congregate living facilities as a space in a building where group sleeping accommodation is provided in one room, or in a series of closely associated rooms, for persons not members of the same family group, under joint occupancy and single management.
Fires in buildings develop when a heat source comes in contact with a combustible material in the presence of oxygen. The "fire triangle" depicts fire behaviour in terms of three essentials; if one is absent or removed, combustion will not occur ([11] Watson, 2000). These essentials are oxygen, which must be at least 16 per cent of the atmosphere to sustain combustion; fuel which must be present in sufficient concentration to form a combustible mixture with oxygen; and heat, which must be sufficient to produce and ignite combustible gases; solid and liquid fuels. Provided there exists a combination of these three ingredients in the appropriate relationship, combustion will occur. The balance of any two may be correct and it only requires the introduction of the third for the process to begin.
Every year, students living at college and university housing facilities experience a growing number of fire-related incidences. Campus officials are expected to provide a safe and secure environment for students, whether they are attending classes or taking a nap in their housing units ([9] Thompson, 2001). In the USA, an average of 1,700 fires on college and university campus housing facilities are reported every year ([10] US Fire Administration, 2001). Many more fires go unreported because they are small in scale, and no one was seriously injured. [9] Thompson (2001) indicated that these unreported fires are the ones that were extinguished by students or campus safety and security personnel. However, these small fires have the same potential to turn a seemingly innocent event into tragedy. Statistics indicated that in the past six years, 89 students have been killed in student housing...