how construction features in large buildings differ from those in smaller occupancy structures

Name:
Instructor’s Name:
Course:
Date:
Abandoned Cold Storage Warehouse: Multi-Firefighter Fatality Fire
The Worcester building was constructed in 1906 when there existed no comprehensive building code with particular fire planning measures. In 1999 a fire broke out and led to the death of 6 firefighting personnel. This incident can be linked with several construction factors that had either direct or indirect influence on the strategy.
Inadequate ventilation measures such that the building had no windows on its upper four floors. This led to suffocation of the fighters on the fifth floor. It also made it inaccessible to firefighters through ladders. Large clouds of smoke covered the rooms impairing vision due to lack of exit vents. It could also be a reason why it took long to notice the fire since smoke had to find its way up the elevator shaft to the roof top.
Inadequate exits from the building since it only had three staircases, and only staircase 3 ran from basement to rooftop. The elevators were dysfunctional at the time. This led to congestion at the staircase reducing ease of access and later on resulted in the aerial approach to the fire. With most lifelines only 50ft long and SCBA air limited to 30 minutes firefighters might have suffocated trying to exit.
Reduced fire resistant interior finishing on the walls acted as a catalyst to the fire. The external walls were covered with up to 18 inches of tar, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane and glass boards.

Interior partitions were made of corkboard. These materials have an enormous fuel load and therefore acted as a catalyst, and this made the fire spread uncontrollably. The firefighters also encountered raining tar which slowed the operation.
The complete absence of fire barriers in the building layout. Fire restrictions prevent the spread of fire from the place of origin to other areas making it easy to manage. This building neither had fire rated walls nor functioning fire doors over the 1500sq ft. of space. This is the reason why the fire spread all the way from the second floor to the sixth floor making it unmanageable.
Fighting a fire to a high occupancy differs from fighting a fire in a single-family unit in some ways. Given the area to be covered more personnel are required in higher occupancy buildings, This could include a use of radios, thermal cameras, and other devices which are not a primary concern when it comes to family unit fire incidents. Large buildings might have different uses for different rooms which necessitate the need for different firefighting techniques, unlike family houses which in most cases will require only one technique.
The Worcester cold storage and warehouse building had inadequate pre-fire planning. Evidence showed a presence of sprinkler system, but no suppression system was operational at the time. Fire detection system was absent, the poor interior finish which instead acted as a catalyst and walls were not covered with paneling. Also, neither fire rated walls, nor functional fire doors were put up to control the fire in such an incident. These factors left the Worcester cold storage and warehouse building susceptible to fire outbreaks.
The use of proper fire planning would have helped the recovery of the missing firefighters in that the building would be accessible from different entrances making the search easier and faster. Most of the old buildings around my hometown lack good pre-fire planning measure, and this poses a real danger to the community. They should be equipped with firefighting equipment such as carbon (IV) oxide cylinders, sprinkler and detection systems, horse pipes and fire exit staircases.