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Ten Minutes in the Street: The Big House
Alpha Side
Charlie Side
Interior
Aerial View of Street
10 minutes Operations Charlie Side
Ten Minutes in the Street: The Big House
You’ve arrived at what’s resulted to be a working fire within a large residential occupancy. The original call stated there was a fire in the lower level projection entertainment room and smoke was evident. The family and friends in the residence at the time evacuated. The house was built in 2005 and is over 4500 square feet, consisting of three levels. ( Engineered systems are present throughout the structure).
The Charlie side has a large wrap around deck and is on a lower grade than the Alpha side. It’s a weekend evening, mild outside temperatures, with moderate sustained winds reaching upwards of 20MPH; stronger gusts appear to be increasing. You have four engine companies on scene, a truck company and a rescue company and ems.
All engine companies are 4 person staffed, the truck has 5 and the rescue has six staffing. You have two battalion chiefs, a safety officer and the Incident Commander. RIT was dispatched, however they are not on-scene at this time.
· Upon arrival, an engine company accessed the interior and located the seat of a progressing fire in the lower area of the occupancy.
· The fire has been gaining in magnitude and severity and is extending. A second engine crew is working backup with handlines.
· Observations at the 10 minute mark indicate that the fire is beginning to be fanned and whipped by escalating winds that are entering the Alpha side. Additionally the fire appears to be extending into the upper eaves and roof and there is an apparent suspicion that there is a wind driven fire affect taking place within the roof and Charlie side. ( See Charlie Side photo for 10 minute mark conditions)
You have other mutual aid and greater alarm resources available, that have yet to be requested. You have the option to assume either one of two operational positions.
Choose either the Incident Commander or the Safety Officer.
· What can you project to be happening?
· What are the risks present to operating companies?
· What needs to be done, when and why?
· What’s the occupancy/ building risk profile?
· What are the strategic or tactical issues that you need to address?
· What’s the safety risk profile for the personnel on the scene?
· Do you committee more personnel for interior operations? IF so, why and what are the reasons and the risks for doing so?
· What are your options for continued operations?
· What’s your Safety Plan?
· How much time do you have, before things get worst; than they appear to be getting?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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I'll take a stab at it. I keep second guessing myself on it though. There is heavy involvment on division 3 and it looks like it has already broken through the roof. At this point ventillation is out of the question as it has autovented. We may still be able to make an interior attack as long as the wind keeps comming from the A side, but what are the chances of that. At the same time though, with the amount of involvement up the entire C side and already moving across the attic space, I don't think we should be inside right now. I would definately call for mutual aid, 2 more engines and 4 tankers. If the wind changes the right way, the exposure on the D side will be in danger. As far as this one goes, I think I'm gonna go exterior with aireal operating and call it a loss.
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Permalink Reply by NOVAFireman on
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We have a large number of these McMansions in my first due, and all through our area. Having seen a couple of them go up with zero wind conditions, having wind speeds like you've mentioned is only making a bad situation worse.
I work in one of these counties, and volunteer in the other where the attached reports are from. Both incidents have changed the way both of my departments conducts business. Tactics we once used for the typical cape cod and rambler homes found throughout the area are useless and no good in the McMansions.
With that said, I'll take command on this one.
· What can you project to be happening? Truss failure. If it hasn't happened already, it's coming quick. With the amount of fire from the Basement Division extending to Division 1, the engineered floor joists and plywood flooring has been comprimised. The floor may look good, but the linoleum, and/or carpet may be the only thing holding the floor up. All it will take is a firefighter to walk or crawl over a weak spot in the floor and fall through to the basement.
· What are the risks present to operating companies? Like mentioned above, floor and roof collapse. Dead load of furnishings in the home, especially the kitchen area adding to the potential for a collapse. Potential for the wind to violently change conditions on the interior in a matter of seconds. This is exactly what happend in Prince William County with their LODD. The interior of the house became a blast furnace in seconds.
· What needs to be done, when and why? Contact communications and request a 2nd alarm. There's over 25% involvement, and it's only going to get worse with the wind, and fuel. Have communications sound the evacuation tones ordering all crews out of the house. Immediately conduct a PAR check for units on scene.
Have the first two engines pull their lines out, shut them down. Have 1 engine to deploy a 2 1/2" handline to Side Alpha, while the other deploys a Deluge Gun and sets up for defensive operations. Have another engine company to get a 3" line to Side Charlie and place a Blitz Fire in service. Order the truck to set up for master stream operations.
Assign the Rescue and 4th engine to RIT Group with the Rescue OIC being RIT Group Supervisor. An engine from the 2nd alarm will be added to the RIT Group.
Have the 2nd BC go to the rear of the house and assign him Division Charlie. The next arriving BC on the second alarm will take Division Alpha. EMS units will set up a rehab and aid station.
· What’s the occupancy/ building risk profile? This is a Type 5, lightweight construction. Engineered systems throughout and truss roofs pose the risk of early collapse with little to no warning. Large void spaces in the attic create a bad situation for hot gases and smoke to collect leading to a violent fire event blowing down through the ceiling into the interior. Vinyl siding creates an avenue for fire travel on the exterior leading to the soffit then into the attic. Not having eyes and lines on Side Charlie can lead to extention into the attic, and/or above floors.
· What are the strategic or tactical issues that you need to address? High winds spreading the fire and speeding up fire growth. Fire has vented itself, and the roofs of these homes are not safe to operate on. So, no verticle venting. Need for large lines and big water quick! Water supply. Can the water system supply the needed flow if this place reaches 75% to 100% involvement. Consider a rural water task force to supplement the hydrants. Placement and reach of the aerial device and elevated stream. Having eyes on Side Charlie, and keeping firefighters out of the potential collapse zone and away from debris caused by master streams on Side Alpha.
· Do you committee more personnel for interior operations? IF so, why and what are the reasons and the risks for doing so? Short answer, NO! Risk vs Benefit says no reason for interior operations anymore. You didn't get a knock on it in the first 10 mins, so the structe is no longer sound for interior operations, even without the wind.
· What are your options for continued operations? Rotate crews out with the 2nd alarm units and send them to rehab when appropriate. Call for additional rescources such as a rural water task force if needed
· What’s your Safety Plan? Have Safety Officer walk around keeping eyes out for potential problems, and communicating findings to units on scene. Have Division Charlie provide SITREPS as time goes on.
· How much time do you have, before things get worst; than they appear to be getting? You may only have 5 more minutes before this place is off to the races. It's 10 minutes in, with no changes in conditions. Like I've said before, the floors and trusses are starting to become comprimised.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Similar type of structure we encountered
http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/Fire/documents/FINALReport.pdf
With what I can see in the picture....big lines and think defensive.
This is a lightweight truss constructed home, with significant involvement in the roof, collapse is quite possible, borderline likely. Judging by the window above the front door, you have vaulted ceilings or at least an open entryway. Considering the fire involvement above, this may collapse and block your entry, if thinking making a push from the "A" side front door. Looks like a nice setback from the road, meaning possibly long hose lays. Hydrant appears in cul-de-sac.....think DEAD END hydrant, which can cause water supply issues.
Wind driven fire, heavy involvent on second floor and roof, I would go defensive here.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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The two most important things on this structure type are to pre-plan them during the construction phase so you can see how they are built, and to do a 360 during the fire.
There are five BIG problems with this building type. Two are obvious, one should be intuitive, and the other two can sneak up on you.
Problem 1 (the obvious one) - These structures are BIG. Any well-involved fire in this house equals a "Big Fire, Big Water" incident. You'll need more manpower and you may need aerial ladder access.
Problem 2 (the intuitive one) - These structures are generally new, which means lightweight trusses and engineered flooring systems. Any fire that extends to the truss void, floor void, or other structural components can quickly cause a collapse.
Problem 3 - If you only look at Side A, this structure appears to be a Type III (ordinary). It is not. It is a Type V (lightweight combustible) with a two-story brick veneer on the front. Not only will this structure not withstand fire nearly as well as a Type III would, but during a fire, the brick veneer can peel off the front and collapse on whoever is operating there.
Problem 4 - This structure has a walk-out basement. Walk-out basements have contributed to several multiple-LODD incidents. These structures appear to be slab-built from the front, but due to the slope they have a basement with walk-out access in the rear. Combine this with the lightweight floor construction and you have a situation that is ripe to drop firefighters into a basement fire if that's where the fire is.
Problem 5 (the other obvious one) - The open construction on the main floor. The lack of partitions allows rapid horizontal fire spread. The main stairs to the 2nd floor are almost certainly open, which allows for rapid vertical fire spread as well. Any fire on the main floor at night will almost certainly trap the occupants in the second floor bedrooms.
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You'll need more manpower and you may need aerial ladder access.
Absolutely, however, does this appear to be a setback house to you? Looking at the first pic, there seems to be a lot of yard from street to house....could just be the angle though. The plot looks like the best choice for an aerial may be the driveway if there is a set back, but again limits where you can reach.
Either way, just wanted to point out that many such homes can create an access problem just to be able to utilize such equipment.
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I'm guessing at about 50 feet of front yard, which means that a 100 foot aerial could reach most of the Side A roof line, but I may be overly optimistic.
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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We had one of these fires a couple of years ago... a "McMansion" with lightweight wood truss construction throughout...
The Lieutenant on the first due Engine, 3 minutes away struck the second alarm when he saw the loom up.
On arrival, heavy fire on the second floor and roof.
2 minutes after arrival, the roof came in.
Surround and drown....
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Permalink Reply by Mark Harrington on
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Lots of varable's here, but I will make a post on my thoughts later on tonight, This is our station disscusion for today, while eating lunch.
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Permalink Reply by Rusty Mancini on
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Break out the BIG GUNS for a surround and drown, that's all that's going to take place here! Collapse zones a definite factor.
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