Quincy House Locks May Change; Malfunction Almost Caused Deaths

More reliable locks may be installed in all of the emergency exits of new Quincy House, Cecil A. Roberts, director of buildings and grounds, said yesterday.

During the Quincy House fire Monday morning, at least five of the locks on emergency exists failed to operate properly. In suites 60', 608, and 609, students pounded and kicked the emergency locks, and in two instances the locks broke apart. Some of the students have saved parts of the locks as souvenirs.

The present locks are installed on only one side of each emergency door. On the other side a door knob or handle is screwed to the door, without any mechanical connections to the lock. In one room, trapped students pulled the handle off the door. The door may be opened from one side only, and then only if the lock works properly.

The faulty locks and one-way emergency doors caused several students to be temporarily trapped in their rooms during Monday's fire. John M. Bullitt, Master of Quincy House, trying to reach the trapped students, led two University policemen through fire doors on the seventh floor using a pass key.

Pass keys are issued to caretaking and maintenance crews for easy access to the bathrooms, but no University policeman at the fire had a pass key.

An official decision on the new locks will not be made until reports have been collected and studied by buildings and grounds. Arthur D. Trottenberg, assistant dean of the Faculty, said that if the locks were found faulty, a college wide investigation would be undertaken to check for faulty locks in other houses.

The present locks were the best available when Quincy was built in 1959. Roberts said, but better locks have since been developed by Buildings and Grounds and installed in most of he houses and dormitories.

"In spits of its modernity, Quincy House presents serious dangers in the event of a major fire, "Bullit said. "It is essential that we review our safety precautions."

During the fire, four students had to make a dash for safety through a flaming hallway. Three firemen were forced out of a sixth story window by heavy black smoke and were dramatically rescued when a ladder was extended to them.