Brennan Firepics Comments 1

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TOM BRENNAN has more than 35 years of fire service experience having responded to 33,000 fire alarms. His career spans more than 20 years with the Fire Department of New York as well as four years as chief of the Waterbury (Conn.) Fire Department. He has a bachelor of science degree, summa cum laude, John Jay College; Alumnus of the Year Award, John Jay College; chairman of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association and a charter member of the National Fire Protection Association, Fire Service Section. He has delivered courses and seminars throughout the United States and has instructed at the National Fire Academy. He was the editor of Fire Engineering Magazine for eight years, is currently a technical editor, and his column “Random Thoughts,” is a regular monthly feature. He is co-editor of The Fire Chief’s Handbook, Fifth Edition. He is the recipient of the 1998 Fire Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award.

A CLASSIC TOP FLOOR FIRE

Here we have a classic photo of a fire in a ordinarily constructed three-story building of mixed occupancy — commercial and two dwelling floors above. Fire is located in the top floor, front of the building. The building is a corner building and stands alone for the top floor and roof! It is daytime and the shops are still open for business, indicating that it is probably before the evening supper hour and after 9 a.m. Life load in the front of the structure is lost and search must be concentrated on the rear portion. Vertical ventilation is critical here as the top floor is a rapid horizontal fire spread. Access to the roof must be by means other than adjoining fire escape and adjoining building roof. The building stands alone!

This roof must be vented rapidly and then cut. Roof access should be by aerial device to the rear and as yet unburned section of the structure (to give the vent team time to get finished). Order of priority of ventilation is the skylight (if present). Next is the access opening, which may be a stair bulkhead door or, in the least, a scuttle cover. Now cut the roof. Conditions (on the roof at least) don't look that bad yet and the roof deck should be strong. Try to get the hole over the fire area — a minimum of 5 feet from the bearing walls on all sides of the cut. The side B or 2 of the fire building may be blank or devoid of window openings and the fire is spreading to the C or 3 side. An aggressive, small-diameter handline with sufficient hose should be enough for this fire fight. A charged backup is necessary for all the surprises that may exist. If the apartment is railroad, from front to rear, then three lines will be necessary, with the third being stretched by another artery other than the interior stair. Truck should have extra people on the top floor with forcible entry tools and pull-down hooks. Getting the doors, making a search, and getting the ceilings for the engine should be the order of the day.

It appears that this may be a split building; that is, apartment in the front and one in the rear. If that is the case, you have a plus. The apartment cockloft of the top floor is usually split also. The masonry walls creating the public hall usually go to the underside of the roof boards. It is difficult, but not impossible, to have fire extend to the rear of this occupancy. Conditions on the fire side should be checked fast and often. Primary search should be rapid as there are no floors above the fire. Concentration should be to the rear, and a complete report should be given soon. Remember, the primary search normally should not include occupancies below the fire floor nor the outside of the structure. Search must be rapid here, as the top floor has no place to "fill the void" of byproducts of combustion.

Questions for consideration at drill using this photo:

What is ordinary construction?

What are the fire location behavior and spread expectations and dangers inherent in this type building?

What is the difference between ventilating a roof system and opening or cutting it?

What is meant about opening the skylight of a multiple dwelling completely?

What tools would you expect the roof-vent person or team to carry on the roof of this fire?

What will the engine company of the first handline do with the additional line necessary for rapid entry to the fire apartment?

What are the benefits of this being a corner building rather than one at the center of a row of such structures?

If there are two apartments per floor, where would the fire escape(s) be located? Where would escapes by in buildings like this on the corner or buildings with similar adjoining occupancies that are attached?

What dangers are here for the interior teams that a RIT team would monitor?