Correlation of autopsy data and materials involved in the Tennessee jail fire

During 1977, a number of major fires, resulting in multiple fatalities, have caused an enhanced concern about toxic gases that are generated from synthetic materials involved in the fire. One of these fires, the Maury County, Tennessee, jail fire, was unique in that the cell padding was the only material involved in the fire. Various officials from the State of Tennessee provided material samples for polymer identification and biological samples from victims for toxicological evaluation. The results of these measurements are presented. A correlation of the toxicological findings with the material involved in the fire is presented.