NFPA Journal - March/April 2013 - (Page 25)

electrical failure or malfunction led to the ignition of sawdust The building, valued at $750,000, and its contents, valued at $6.5 million, were destroyed. Chemical reaction starts fire CALIFORNIA—A sprinkler extinguished a fire in a multi-tenant building that contained a woodworking shop, a guitar manufacturer, an auto body shop, and several other small businesses, significantly limiting the amount of property damage. The two-story, steel-frame building had metal exterior walls and a metal roof deck and roof. Interior woodframe walls were covered by gypsum board and divided into five manufacturing spaces and one storage area. An NFPA 13 wet-pipe sprinkler system protected the property, and portable fire extinguishers were available, although they were not used. The fire started when one of the occupants who was working after hours mixed auto-catalyzed resin in a paper cup and set it down, before leaving the area. When he returned, he saw that the cup was on fire and called 911 just minutes before the fire department received a water flow alarm for the building at 8:10 p.m. When they arrived, responding firefighters found that the single sprinkler, located directly above the fire, had already extinguished it. The building, valued at $2 million, was not damaged. Its contents, valued at $1.5 million, sustained an estimated loss of $10,700. Assembly Sprinkler douses courthouse fire OKLAHOMA—Firefighters responding to a fire alarm at a courthouse, which was protected by a fire detection system and a wet-pipe sprinkler system, found that a sprinkler had already extinguished the blaze, which started when a battery charger for a floor-buffing unit malfunctioned. Firefighters received the automatic alarm at 9:14 p.m., and the call was upgraded to a commercial alarm response while they were en route. The first-in engine company, which arrived two minutes after the alarm, stretched a hose line into the building. A second engine company provided a backup hose line, while a third engine company evacuated the building. A ladder truck set up for ventilation, and an additional engine hooked up to the fire department connection while the hazmat team was assigned as a rapid intervention team. Damage to the building and its contents, valued at $54 million, was limited to $15,000. Become part of the largest community of Fire Protection Engineers in the world. With over 1,500 alumni, 250 current students, and 20 professors, the University of Maryland is the largest network of professionals standing side-by-side to support our industry. Why Maryland? - only ABET accredited Fire Protection Engineering program in the nation - education programs to meet your needs (bachelors, masters, doctoral, certificate) - over thirty courses/year in high demand areas (fire dynamics, risk analysis, forensics, modeling, toxicity, and smoke detection and management) - more than $1 million in research funding annually to support the latest developments in the field. - online masters program allows you to become part of the community from anywhere in the world. Join our community today... w w w. o a e e . u m d . e d u / f i r e MARCH/APRIL 2013 NFPA JOURNAL 25 http://www.oaee.umd.edu/fire http://www.oaee.umd.edu/fire

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - March/April 2013

NFPA Journal - March/April 2013
Contents
First Word
In a Flash
Perspectives
Firewatch
Research
Heads Up
Structural Ops
In Compliance
Buzzwords
Outreach
Electrical Safety
Wildfire Watch
Cover Story: Storage Occupancies
Fifty Years of Smoke Detection
Industrial Occupancies
Chicago 2013
Fire Analysis + Research
Section Spotlight
What’s Hot
Looking Back

NFPA Journal - March/April 2013