Justin Richardson
Dr. Jones
Safety Management
24 May 2018 Charleston Sofa Super Store Fire The single greatest loss of firefighter lives since 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. In the Charleston where the proud fire department haven’t had any line-of-duty casualties since 1965 then on June 18, 2007 they had gut wrenching nine casualties in the Sofa Super Store fire. The call came into dispatch 7:07pm when a passerby noticed smoke coming out over the furniture store. 7:10pm Engine 4 arrives on scene and reports a trash fire on the side of the building. Assistant Chief and Engine 16 shows up minutes later, they are ordered to go inside to separate the fire from the warehouse to the showroom. Led by the Assistant Chief there …show more content…
When this happened, the firefighters in the showroom got surrounded by superheated air and dense smoke. The ones who still had contact with their hose were able to make it back out, the others were not as lucky. Running out of air and disoriented they radioed for help, while the radio transmission was jumbled with cries for help, commander barking orders and crews struggling to get water. The fire started spiraling out of control. The major contributing factors to the rapid spread of the fire was building design, large open spaces with furniture providing fuel, inward rush of air from broken windows and not having a sprinkler system.
“Based on its findings, the NIST technical study team made 11 recommendations for enhancing building, occupant and firefighter safety nationwide. In particular, the team urged state and local communities to adopt and strictly adhere to current national model building and fire safety codes.1 If today's model codes had been in place and rigorously followed in Charleston in 2007, the study authors said, the conditions that led to the rapid fire spread in the Sofa Super Store probably would have been prevented.” …show more content…
“NIST report calls for national model building and fire codes to require sprinklers for all new commercial retail furniture stores regardless of size” (Newman). Computer models show that if the Charleston furniture store had automatic sprinklers it would have the kept the fire from moving from the loading bay and eventually extinguishing it completely. Building ventilation, there was a non-fire-activated roll up door that was open between the loading dock and holding area. The store did have some fire-activated roll-up doors, but out of seven activated four of them did not close. This allowed the fire to grow much faster than it otherwise would have. Recommendations for more periodic check of safety equipment.
“The predominant factor identified in the analysis of Fire Department operations
Dr. Jones
Safety Management
24 May 2018 Charleston Sofa Super Store Fire The single greatest loss of firefighter lives since 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. In the Charleston where the proud fire department haven’t had any line-of-duty casualties since 1965 then on June 18, 2007 they had gut wrenching nine casualties in the Sofa Super Store fire. The call came into dispatch 7:07pm when a passerby noticed smoke coming out over the furniture store. 7:10pm Engine 4 arrives on scene and reports a trash fire on the side of the building. Assistant Chief and Engine 16 shows up minutes later, they are ordered to go inside to separate the fire from the warehouse to the showroom. Led by the Assistant Chief there …show more content…
When this happened, the firefighters in the showroom got surrounded by superheated air and dense smoke. The ones who still had contact with their hose were able to make it back out, the others were not as lucky. Running out of air and disoriented they radioed for help, while the radio transmission was jumbled with cries for help, commander barking orders and crews struggling to get water. The fire started spiraling out of control. The major contributing factors to the rapid spread of the fire was building design, large open spaces with furniture providing fuel, inward rush of air from broken windows and not having a sprinkler system.
“Based on its findings, the NIST technical study team made 11 recommendations for enhancing building, occupant and firefighter safety nationwide. In particular, the team urged state and local communities to adopt and strictly adhere to current national model building and fire safety codes.1 If today's model codes had been in place and rigorously followed in Charleston in 2007, the study authors said, the conditions that led to the rapid fire spread in the Sofa Super Store probably would have been prevented.” …show more content…
“NIST report calls for national model building and fire codes to require sprinklers for all new commercial retail furniture stores regardless of size” (Newman). Computer models show that if the Charleston furniture store had automatic sprinklers it would have the kept the fire from moving from the loading bay and eventually extinguishing it completely. Building ventilation, there was a non-fire-activated roll up door that was open between the loading dock and holding area. The store did have some fire-activated roll-up doors, but out of seven activated four of them did not close. This allowed the fire to grow much faster than it otherwise would have. Recommendations for more periodic check of safety equipment.
“The predominant factor identified in the analysis of Fire Department operations