Where is the fire and what is the consequence of that location? It is a top-floor fire, and it is already in a couple of locations remote from each other. What does that mean?

Well, the fire is probably into the cockloft or horizontal attic space. Roof teams are a must and will probably be working there for quite some time. Fire is located at the area of flame-show at the window line. Aerial devices must deliver vertical vent teams to the roof level, as the exposure in the photo is at least one story below the level of the fire building.

What is different about the objectives and the tactics of fires in top-floor locations in these combustible buildings?

1. Smoke condition is awful. There is no place for fire products to mushroom and it appears more dense and of different colors.

2. Search – Primary: has different priorities. Now it has a horizontal aspect that it would not have should the fire be in a lower floor of the same building. Primary search in the latter case must be in the fire apartment and all those directly above it and the halls and stairs connecting them. At the top floor level, all apartments on the floor must be searched for victims and fire extension.

3. Forcible entry is a major problem. If the door assemblies are of metal construction, then the hydraulic tool is invaluable.

4. To maintain an offensive firefight, ceilings throughout must be pulled to get at the fire extension. Extra firefighters assigned truck duties are necessary.

5. Roof ventilation consists of :

1. Opening all vertical arteries first!

2. Venting horizontally at the location of most fire exposure visible from the roof. Tie a tool to a piece of rope and vent the windows.

3. Locating a primary roof-cut area and planning your cut.

4. Begin to cut and plan for additional legs to assure that the “same” hole is able to be enlarged.

6. Provide at least two aerial devices to assure exit locations for the roof teams. Try to locate them in areas of the building that will give the teams the most time to operate on the roof:

1. Remote from the fire area.

2. At a blank wall (no openings to expose the device to products of combustion.

7. Top-floor fires like this are labor intensive. Search is demanding, as is other truck work.

8. Benefits: there are no interior vertical exposures; no “loor above the fire” operations — the most dangerous area in any structural fire.

9. Problems for ongoing firefight:

1. Unplanned for fire spread behind the fire forces. Always have an idea of the perimeter of fire and possible fire drop. As a general rule, the aggressive engine companies should not pass under fire above a ceiling that is as yet intact.

2. Smoke explosion: unvented fire produces explosive combustion byproducts — primarily carbon monoxide. In dangerous concentrations, it could explode when coming in contact with flame from the fire floor, either by ceiling failure or aggressive truck work pulling ceilings in front of the nozzle. In this case, the ceiling space “blows” down in large and even remote areas, bringing with it tremendous heat and fireball phenomena.

The only way to prevent this from occurring is prompt and proper ventilation of the cockloft space from the roof! Top-floor fires are in a class by themselves. They are tough, and you have to move aggressively. Great truck work is the key to success, as is aggressive and rapid maneuverable hose lines. They can be very rewarding to well-trained fire department members.

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