NFPA Journal - September/October 2012 - (Page 22)
>> FIREWATCH
from our files by Ken Tremblay
Neighbors watch firefighters try to bring a fire that started on the wooden deck of a beach house under control.
Residential
Hot coals start multimilliondollar fire
CALIFORNIA—An early morning fire that started on the wooden deck of a waterfront house destroyed the home and severely damaged three others. The single-family, three-story, wood-frame house covered approximately 2,700 square feet (250 square meters). Smoke alarms on each level operated. There were no sprinklers. On the afternoon of the fire, the occupants of the house used a charcoal barbeque grill to cook food on their rear-facing wooden deck. Once they were finished, they went inside and left the grill unattended. As the coals continued to burn, they eventually became small enough to fall onto the wooden deck through rust holes in the grill. The deck ignited, and strong
winds helped spread the fire to three neighboring houses. Passersby saw the fire and called 911 at 4:50 p.m. No one was injured, but the buildings, valued at $4.5 million, and their contents, valued at $450,000, were destroyed. The occupants, who were renting the house, were not aware that there were holes in the grill.
Boys start house fire with fireworks
COLORADO—Three boys, about 11 years of age, were playing with consumer fireworks outside a multifamily house when the dry vegetation around the home caught fire. The blaze spread to the house, which covered an area of approximately 3,600 square feet (334 square meters), and two nearby sheds.
Firefighters received a 911 call reporting the fire at 2:34 p.m. When they arrived at the scene, they noted that the blaze had spread to two sides of the house. They deployed a 1 3/4inch hose line and extinguished the fire on the porch, allowing a ladder company to enter the house to search for anyone who might be trapped. As they did, the fire breached the windows on the first floor, and crews used hose lines to knock down fire and protect the ladder company. The incident commander ordered a second alarm. Investigators spoke with the three boys, who reported that they were in front of the house lighting fireworks, one of which landed under a bush. Shortly afterward, they noticed white smoke coming from the bush, followed by flames. The three went into the house and told the woman inside
22
NFPA JOURNAL
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Photograph: AP/Wide World Photo
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - September/October 2012
NFPA Journal - September/October 2012
Contents
First Word
Mail Call
In a Flash
Perspectives
Firewatch
Research
Heads Up
Structural Ops
In Compliance
Buzzwords
Outreach
Electrical Safety
Wildfire Watch
Lessons of Comayagua
After Waldo Canyon
Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in 2011
Fire Loss in the United States in 2011
Section Spotlight
Research + Analysis
What’s Hot
Looking Back
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