NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 43

Delivering up to 99% pure, dry Nitrogen to your fire sprinkler system, protecting it from corrosion. MANUFACTURING Potter has extensively tested nitrogen for corrosion control in dry and pre-action systems. Years of laboratory experience and real life application have concluded that nitrogen can extend the life of fire sprinkler systems up to: 5.3X! 20 Month Corrosion Comparison Test Compressed Air 98% Nitrogen For more information, visit: www.PotterNitrogen.com N EMBLE SS D Manufacturing facility fire is controlled by sprinklers ILLINOIS-Sprinklers extinguished a fire at a large manufacturing facility that began when an electrical arc ignited plastic materials in an electrical panel. One worker suffered a leg injury while evacuating the building, but no other injuries were reported as a result of the event. The fire broke out at 4:15 p.m. when a licensed contractor working in an electrical room opened an electrical panel and an unspecified fault created an arc, igniting material in the panel. Occupants summoned the fire department within one minute after the fire ignited. According to newspaper reports, the fire chief credited the facility's sprinkler and suppression system with containing the fire to the mechanical room. Firefighters removed smoke from the building, which the chief said could have contained cyanide gas and carbon monoxide. The reports indicated that a special smoke removal team was summoned for assistance. The facility was a one-story structure with a ground floor area of 675 square feet (63 square meters), with brick walls, concrete floor framing, and a flat steel roof covered with tar and gravel. The entire facility was protected by a wet-pipe sprinkler system, with additional protection provided by heat detectors and smoke alarms. No estimates were available on damages from the fire or the value of the facility and its contents. I Sprinklers control dorm fire ignited by a candle MISSISSIPPI-Firefighters were dispatched to a university dormitory at 8 p.m. after a fire broke out in a third-floor unit, activating an automatic detection system and a monitored sprinkler system. On arrival, crews found that the sprinkler system had successfully contained the fire to a sofa, which had been ignited by a nearby candle. University officials indicated in news reports that housing policy prohibited residents from burning candles in residence hall rooms. Reports also indicated that the fire was small but produced considerable smoke. Nearly 200 students were reportedly displaced by the fire and were temporarily relocated to open units on campus or nearby hotels. The dormitory was four stories in height and had a ground floor area POTTER NITROGEN GENERATORS T HE US A DORMITORY/RESIDENTIAL of 32,114 square feet (2,983 square meters). The building was constructed with wood framing and walls and a metal roof. A wet pipe sprinkler system provided coverage for the entire structure. The structure experienced smoke and water damage, but no estimates were available on the extent of losses. A The hangar complex, described in newspapers as containing multiple hangar bays separated by simple partitions, was 300 feet long (91 meters) and 40 feet wide (12 meters). The hangar was reportedly constructed in the 1950s or 1960s, and bays were not equipped with sprinkler systems. Hangar bays at the airport, a general aviation facility, were leased to private owners of small fixedwing planes. According to a newspaper report that appeared two weeks after the fire, investigators determined that the fire was caused by an electrical failure that started in a power strip or an electrical outlet that the strip was plugged into, both of which were mounted on a heavy timber support post. Reports indicated that eight aircraft and four automobiles were destroyed in the fire. Damage was estimated at $922,000, but no additional details on the incident were available. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 NFPA JOURNAL 43

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - September/October 2016