Posts Tagged bow-string truss roof collapse

Chicago 2-11 Alarm 9-11-11

Chicago had a commercial fire Sunday morning at 5614 W. Grand Avenue.

Steve Redick and Dan McInerney both took in the fire and submitted images.

Chicago Fire Department commercial building fire 9-11-01

Heavy fire burns through the auto body shop on Grand Avenue. Steve Redick photo

Firefighters use street level deluge guns in a defensive mode to fight the fire Sunday morning. Steve Redick photo

 

Steve provided the following information:

This morning about 0600 a 2-11 alarm at 5614 Grand ave. A 1 sty commercial attached to a truss roof auto repair garage. I arrived a few minutes after the 2-11 was pulled…and some of the box alarm companies were still going to work. Squad 2 had no snorkel and both tower ladders (14 and 23) were in spares too. The fire was through the roof just before the first images and 2 separate collapses occurred while I was there…I didn’t get them on video or stills but notice just the roof came in..no other outward collapses of the parapets or bearing walls seem to have occurred. I wonder if there were fire cuts on the truss ends. Also got some shots of 43 stretching up a ground ladder to the roof of exposure 2 for a point of vantage operation. All in all an interesting fire…shift change was taking place at the same time so that’s why you see members in various states of dress. I am enclosing a link to a short video with radio traffic I shot as well…
Chicago Fire Department commercial building fire 9-11-01

Two tower ladders worked in addition to multiple hand lines and multi-versals. Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department commercial building fire 9-11-01

Engine 68 was the first due engine and had a deck gun and several hand lines flowing. Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department commercial building fire 9-11-01

This image from later in the incident shows the tremendous amount of water that was used to hit the fire. Dan McInerney photo

Dan had the following comments:

This was a one story truss roof auto body shop. It looked 75×100, fire throughout. Exposure in sector 2 was a one story 25×100 with fire throughout as well.
These are of E117 and T35. E117 had 2 lines off I believe to the roof of the building driectly to the west of the exposure building operating from a point of vantage. T35 had their main to that roof as well.
Chicago Fire Department commercial building fire 9-11-01

Shot from the rear shows heavy fire burning through the roof. Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department commercial building fire 9-11-01

Firefighters from Engine 117 hoist a hose up a ground ladder to use the roof of a building in Sector 2 to hit the fire. Steve Redick photo

Chicago Fire Department commercial building fire 9-11-01

The 2-story house to the west had two 2-1/2s operating on the roof plus a 2-1/2 and a 1-3/4 out the second floor windows. Dan McInerney photo

Video links, photo galleries and more images will be posted in a follow-up article.

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Box Alarm in Harvey 9-7-11

Karl Klotz got in early at a Box Alarm this morning in Harvey. He submitted several images and the following description:

HARVEY MABAS DIV 24 –  9/7/2011
STILL AND BOX ALARM FIRE AT 147th ST AND CENTER, VACANT “BOB WATSON CHEVROLET” CAR DEALERSHIP.

COMPANIES ARRIVED TO FIND FIRE IN THE REPAIR SHOP PORTION OF THE VACANT DEALERSHIP AT 147TH STREET AND CENTER IN HARVEY.  DUE TO THE CONDITION OF THE BUILDING, COMPANIES WENT DEFENSIVE WITH TOWER LADDER 2 AND 2 HANDLINES.  SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVAL, THERE WAS A COLLAPSE OF THE BOW STRING TRUSS ROOF.  COMPANIES WERE ALSO FACED WITH POOR WATER SUPPLY FROM NEARBY HYDRANTS.

MUTUAL AID COMPANIES WERE: POSEN, EAST HAZEL CREST, DOLTON, RIVERDALE AND SOUTH HOLLAND.

 

Harvey building fire 147th and Center 9-7-11

Due to the vacant occupancy, the heavy fire conditions, and the bow string truss roof design, defensive operations began immediately. Karl Klotz photo

Harvey building fire 147th and Center 9-7-11

TOWER LADDER 2 SET UP ON THE NORTH/EAST CORNER OF THE BUILDING. Karl Klotz photo

Harvey building fire 147th and Center 9-7-11

FIRE STARTS TO BREAK THROUGH THE SOUTH/EAST SIDE OF THE TRUSS ROOF. Karl Klotz photo

Harvey building fire 147th and Center 9-7-11

TOWER LADDER 2 WORKING ON EXTINGUISHING AFTER THE ROOF COLLAPSED. Karl Klotz photo

 

Harvey building fire 147th and Center 9-7-11

CONDITIONS SHORTLY AFTER THE ROOF COLLAPSED. Karl Klotz photo

Harvey building fire 147th and Center 9-7-11

COMPANIES STARTED TO PULL THE HANDLINES BACK AS THE INTENSE RADIANT HEAT BEATS DOWN ON THEM. Karl Klotz photo

 

Karl has a large gallery with more images HERE.

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