New Jersey apartment building destroyed by fire. 1

[hokie66]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fire-ravaged-jersey-apartment-complex-continues-burn-28399847

Is this is case of going too far with the concept of multi-storey buildings in wood?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Same thing happened in downtown Los Angeles this past December except that this building was still under construction, but again, it was a large apartment building built almost entirely of wood:

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/12/18/arson-caused-30-million-downtown-los-angeles-fire/21118641/

John R. Baker, P.E.
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Siemens PLM Software Inc.
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Siemens PLM:
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To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[msquared48]

Been doing five stories here for years with no problems like that. Points to a need to return to using fire blocking in walls again though.

What caught my eye was the comment on laminated plywood beams. As in Microlams and LVL's. Might have to start wrapping these better.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[bridgebuster]

The fire was caused by a maintenance crew repairing a pipe; and it was burning for 15 minutes before they decided to call 911. It reminds me of something an old timer I worked for would tell me when I worked the construction side of the fence: "I don't trust ironworkers with torches".

Fortunately no one was killed.

 

[Ingenuity]

The Portland Cement Association did a media release back in December following the Dec 2014 LA apartment fire entitled "L.A. Fire Should be a Wake-up Call on the Risks of Tall Wood-Framed Buildings"

See article here: Link

 

[hokie66]

The PCA release concentrates on fire hazard during construction. The New Jersey fire occurred on the same site where a previous building was destroyed by fire during construction. Jinxed site? Will be interesting to see what they do with the site next.

 

[Ingenuity]

Jinxed site?

Damn. Will be interesting, indeed.

 

[wannabeSE]

The PCA should be careful using examples of wood building under construction that catch fire. Falsework burns too:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/...osed-hesperia-bridge-fire-20140507-story.html

 

[Triangled]

MSquared48.... interested too in the "the comment on laminated plywood beams", but I cannot find it... where is it please?

 

[hokie66]

If the sprinklers were working, as reported, why didn't they extinguish the fire? Maybe because the fire protective wall cladding prevented the water from getting in to the wood which was burning? Sprinklers deal well with contents fires, but maybe not with structural fires. This fire should bring the whole concept of fire engineering and large wood structures into focus.

 

[msquared48]

Hence fire blocking in walls...

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[hokie66]

Sounds simple enough, Mike, but why do you think that was not done? And why do you think that would have stopped this fire? After a fire in a wood structure gets going, some bits of drywall and insulation won't stop it.

 

[msquared48]

Limits updrafts developing in the walls Hokie. Every little bit helps. It was omitted in the standard of construction practice to save money.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[msquared48]

Duh... If it was still under construction, maybe it was only partly sheetrocked?

In this case, the fire blocking would do nothing as the wood would be exposed where there was no sheetrock...

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[hokie66]

The fire which destroyed the building this week in New Jersey was in a finished and occupied building, with presumably the only exposed wood being where a wall was opened up to repair pipes. A building on the same site was burnt while under construction some years ago.

 

[BillPSU]

I would bet the building code probably does not require sprinklers. If it does it probably the system was undersized for the material used. Extiguishing a fire in concrete or brick stucture is quite different instead of a wood structure. Also what about the fire break between residences. Minimum 5/8" sheetrock between residences. This whole fire will be buried under red tape and the developers will walk away with the insurance check and the residents will be left high and dry.

Luckily no one died but this whole things stinks of shoddy and inexpensive construction practices.

Bill