NFPA Journal - May/June 2019 - 142

Photo: Ryan Leasure

Experience.
Innovation.
Smoke Vents Ensure Safety for
Rebuilt Cold Storage Business

Photo: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground

A ferocious fire in August 2016 destroyed the Columbus, Ohio
facility of Dick Cold Storage, which had served the region for
nearly 100 years. More than 400 firefighters tackled the blaze
at the 144,000-square-foot warehouse, and their task was
complicated by the facilities' contents and lack of smoke vents.
"Buildings that do not lend themselves to ventilation, such as
cold storage buildings, are especially dangerous to firefighters.
If there is no known life-safety issue, firefighters will retreat to a
defensive position and fight the fire from outside the building
instead of going inside,'' said Steve Martin, Battalion Chief for
the Columbus Fire Department. "Two of the biggest challenges
we face in fighting any fire are heat and smoke. The heat of the
fire radiates on everything surrounding it, causing the flames to
spread and causing rapid degradation of structural elements."
In June 2018, the business unveiled a reconstructed facility
with 50-foot ceilings for expanded vertical storage, six million
cubic feet of storage space, 15,000 pallet positions and seven
multi-temperature storage rooms. The new facility for Dick Cold
Storage incorporates the latest in cold storage technology and
the capacity to serve a 550-mile radius, covering a population
of more than 138 million people.
The new building also has additional fire protection safeguards,
such as horns and strobes, pull stations at doors, linear
heat detection in freezers, and 18 automatic smoke vents
manufactured by The BILCO Company.
"Additional fire protection was one of the elements that we
wanted to have in the new building,'' Dick Cold Storage CEO
Don Dick said. "We don't have sprinklers, but we have a lot of
other measures for fire protection throughout the building."
Tippmann Innovation worked alongside Spohn Associates
to use quad leaf design vents from BILCO. The vents include
BILCO's patented Thermolatch® II positive hold/release
mechanism to ensure reliable operation when a fire occurs.
The latch automatically releases the vent covers upon the
melting of a 165°F (74°C) fusible link and can be supplied for
smoke detector or fire alarm activation. Gas spring operators
are designed to open the covers against snow and wind loads
and include integral dampers to assure that the covers open
at a controlled rate of speed.
"Vents allow for the removal of heat and smoke and potentially
slow the spread of fire,'' Martin said. "They will also permit
firefighters to see and enter the building, to possibly extinguish

Photo: Ryan Leasure

the fire early, preventing the entire building from becoming
a loss."
Roofing components were selected carefully for the new
Dick Cold Storage building. Roofing at cold storage facilities
is especially critical, because Improperly installed or inefficient
materials could lead to excess moisture that can create
bacterial growth. Other side effects could include structural
damage from ice buildup on walls and slabs, higher utility costs,
safety issues for workers and equipment that may require more
maintenance or not reach its expected lifespan.
The most critical feature was constructing a vapor-tight and
energy efficient roof system. Tippmann used a single-ply
roofing system with 45-mil and 60-mil TPO, which serve as
vapor barriers. Single-ply systems also minimize air leaks.
Dick Cold Storage made a huge financial investment in its
new facility, and Tippmann Innovation paid close attention to
the construction materials, especially the roofing. With a new
building that can better withstand the potential of product and
facility loss that can be caused by fire, the business heads into
its second century ready to serve its expansive base of clients.

For over 90 years, The BILCO Company has been a building industry pioneer in the design and development of
specialty access products. Over these years, the company has built a reputation among architects, and engineers for
products that are unequaled in design and workmanship. BILCO - an ISO 9001 certified company - offers commercial
and residential specialty access products. BILCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of AmesburyTruth, a division of Tyman
Plc. For more information, visit www.bilco.com.

http://www.bilco.com http://www.bilco.com

NFPA Journal - May/June 2019

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