NFPA Journal - Fall 2021 - 76

Firewatch
firefighters rescued two dogs that were
in the apartment with the victim.
Firefighters were dispatched to the
scene at 9 p.m. following a 911 call
from a neighbor. Arriving crews were
informed by bystanders that a man was
still inside the building, according to
news sources.
Firefighters evacuated the victim and
provided treatment until the arrival of
medical crews for transport to the hospital.
News reports indicated that the
victim succumbed to his injuries at a
burn center two days after the fire.
Investigators determined that the fire
began in the living room of the victim's
second-floor apartment, where a fan
was operating on top of a plastic tub
that contained firearms and reloading
supplies. Heat from the pinched electrical
cord ignited the plastic container
and fire spread rapidly after igniting
the contents.
The apartment was protected by
single-station smoke detectors in
the hallway and bedroom and were
reported to have successfully operated.
The building was a wood frame
structure with brick walls and a wood
roof frame covered by asphalt shingles.
No information was available on the
dimensions of the building or apartment
units.
The fire caused $25,000 in damage
to the building, valued at $100,000.
Damage to contents, valued at $30,000,
was also estimated at $25,000.
NORTH CAROLINA
Smoking materials result in fatal
house fire
An early morning house fire that
claimed the life of an elderly female
occupant was caused by discarded
smoking materials, according to a fire
department report.
Firefighters were dispatched to the
duplex residence at 5:20 a.m. after
neighbors heard an activated smoke
detector and called 911.
News reports indicated that arriving
crews entered the house and pulled
the victim from her bedroom, but
that she succumbed to her injuries
at the scene. Those sources reported
that the fire department battled the
76 | NFPA JOURNAL * FALL 2021
fire for 47 minutes before completing
extinguishment.
Investigators determined that the fire
originated in the kitchen, where smoking
materials ignited the contents of a
waste container and the ensuing fire
then spread through the house.
The house was a two-story woodframe
duplex with vinyl siding and
occupied a ground floor area of 875
square feet (81 square meters).
No information was available on
damage estimates from the fire.
NORTH CAROLINA
Sprinkler contains clothes dryer fire
A fire that started in a clothes dryer in
a multi-unit apartment building was
contained by the facility's sprinkler
system until firefighters arrived to complete
extinguishment.
Firefighters were dispatched to the
apartment complex at 11:30 a.m. following
the sprinkler activation, as well as a
911 call from a resident.
Arriving crews reported no signs of
fire, but were informed by a building
maintenance supervisor of a fire in
one of the building's units. While an
engine company stood by at the nearest
hydrant, crews proceeded to the
apartment, where they reported heavy
smoke conditions.
Inside, crews found an active fire
contained to the clothes dryer in a
laundry room. A sprinkler had activated
and suppressed most of the fire.
Crews used a water can to extinguish
the remaining fire, then removed
burned clothing from the dryer and
completed overhaul.
Investigators determined that the fire
began when the apartment's occupant
laundered clothing soaked with vegetable
oil, then placed them in the dryer
before leaving the apartment. The oily
clothes began to ignite by spontaneous
combustion while inside the dryer.
The apartment building was a threestory
wood structure with a ground
floor area of 8,778 square feet (815
square meters).
The fire caused $5,000 in damage
to the building, valued at $1.5 million,
and $500 in damage to contents,
valued at $500,000.
ALABAMA
Furniture fire at frat house
extinguished by sprinkler
A mid-afternoon fire in the function
area of a fraternity house was successfully
extinguished by the building's
sprinkler system before it could spread.
Firefighters were dispatched to the
scene by an automatic detection system
at 3 p.m. Arriving crews reported light
smoke showing from a two-story structure.
Crews entered the residence and
found that a fire that had ignited on
a piece of furniture had already been
extinguished by a wet-pipe sprinkler
system.
Crews inspected the second level of
the residence to ensure that all rooms
had been cleared, then opened windows
and set up a fan for ventilation
and helped push water from sprinkler
discharge out the front door.
Medical crews administered oxygen
outside the residence to an occupant
who experienced coughing and shortlived
nausea after the incident. He
declined further treatment or ambulance
transport.
Investigators said the fire began
when a candle ignited flammable liquid
that had spilled on a piece of furniture.
Damage from the fire was reported
to be minor, but no dollar loss information
was available.
FLORIDA
Woman dies in house fire that began
in the garage
Firefighters were dispatched to a
structure fire with reports of a trapped
occupant shortly before 10 p.m.
Arriving crews reported heavy fire in
a garage, with smoke coming out of the
eaves of a single-story home and a vehicle
on fire in the driveway.
Incident command made a circuit of
the property's perimeter while crews
pulled a hose and began attacking fire
in the garage. The fire had vented the
roof of the garage, ignited one car on
the driveway, and was entering the
living area of the residence.
Crews connected a line and began
attacking the fire while a primary
search was conducted of the residence,
which proved negative.
NFPA Journal - Fall 2021

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