NFPA Journal - September/October 2017 - 64

Firewatch
$500,000. Damage to the additional
units and contents was estimated at
$2 million.

MICHIGAN
Apartments sustain large losses in
fire started by smoldering cigarette
Firefighters were dispatched to a threestory apartment complex at 12:30 p.m.
after a fire was spotted by a passing
motorist.
A fire department officer who was
first to reach the scene found smoke
and fire showing through the roof on
the east end of the building. The officer
entered the main structure and began
pounding on doors to make sure all
residents evacuated, starting on the
third floor and working down, then
proceeded to an attached building to
make sure residents of those units also
evacuated.
A walk-around of the structure
showed heavy fire at the back of the
building. Before the first units reached

the scene, a request was made for an
additional ladder and engine from
a mutual aid company, in addition
to auto aid from a neighboring fire
department. Crews from the firstarriving engine stretched hose line to
the third floor to begin fire attack. A
second engine company laid a supply
line and backed up the attack line.
Approximately three minutes after
the interior attack began, high winds
and the intensity of the fire led incident
command to order crews out of the
building and to mount an exterior operation only. Crews then set up master
streams to attack the fire from the front
and rear of the building.
Once the bulk of the fire had been
knocked down, crews reentered the
building to extinguish hot spots and
conduct a secondary search of all
apartments.
Following the release of mutual aid
crews, local crews remained on the scene
to help occupants retrieve personal

PITTSBURG
TANK & TOWER
MAINTENANCE CO., INC.

SAVE!

We have a crew in
YOUR AREA!
Inspections
Wet
Dry
ROV

Repair
In Service
Cleaning
Paint
Insulation

New & Used

Tanks

Relocation

Elevated

Erection

Underground

Dismantles

Ground

ROV inspections can be viewed on TV console
During inspection & DVD provided. All inspections
Include bound reports, recommendations, and cost estimates.

Patrick Heltsley

Don Johnston

belongings and provide assistance to
property management and the Red Cross.
News accounts reported that at least 15
people were displaced by the fire.
Investigators determined that the
fire was ignited by a smoldering cigarette on an outside deck area of a
third-floor apartment. The cigarette
had been deposited in a large plastic
bucket containing potting soil that
also included 30 to 50 discarded cigarette butts, and investigators said
that high winds brought the discarded
cigarette back to ignition temperature,
igniting other cigarette butts and the
plastic bucket. Fire then spread onto
an exterior wall and ran into the soffit,
attic, and roof areas of the deck and
apartment.
The complex was equipped with
smoke detectors in apartments,
common hallways, mechanical rooms,
and laundry rooms. The fire department indicated that the detection
system did not immediately operate

Xchange

™

The Online Community of The National Fire Protection Association

Explore.
Share.
Ask.

Join.

Join NFPA®'s online community,
NFPA Xchange™.
It's free and easy!
NFPA Xchange lets you connect with professionals worldwide, ask
questions, and engage in the latest codes and standards information.
Share your expertise, discuss emerging issues in your industry, and identify
the latest trends in your field by joining this online community today.

(270) 826-9000 x 4601 (270) 826-9000 x 1001
270-748-1325

(270) 748-1343

www.watertank.com
64 | NFPA JOURNAL S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

Join Xchange today!
nfpa.org/Xchange
http://www.nfpa.org/Xchange http://www.nfpa.org/Xchange
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - September/October 2017
