Roof Collapses on FF's-Caught on Tape

[Jasper 45]

The thing to remember, and especially with larger departments, is the number of firemen who will be on scene quickly. Just because all you see in the video is the two guys working their line, that doesn’t mean there aren’t others close by, as pfdaz pointed out. On a typical first alarm assignment you’re getting between 5-7 companies, depending on the department, and each staffed with 4-6 members.
I also hate to be the one to say this, but if we have a good fire working, RIT is our last worry. We’re not going to waste manpower with RIT during the initial stages of working, and we have more manpower than most departments, as does Phoenix. RIT does nothing to help put out a fire, all it does initially is keep firefighters from putting fire out, especially in a fire such as the video shows. You need all hands working as quickly as possible. RIT can be established by other companies coming in, but if they’re needed for work, they get put to work.
I thought those guys in the video did a great job, they kept their wits about them and didn’t panic. I guess you can nit pick about whether they should have been in the position they were in, but I won’t. There is never enough information from one video camera.

[ThNozzleman]

One way to avoid an overhang collapse......get inside the house and put the fire out.

That's a pretty gung-ho statement. If the overhang is in such bad condition, who the hell in their right mind would get under the roof, too? You can't always catch them in time to charge in and play John Wayne...there's absolutely no shame at all in fighting a fire from the outside if conditions merit. Attempting to make a rescue is one thing; but the notion that we have to go in on every fire is ridiculous. If you're operating on a fire involving construction that may be lightweight/truss in nature and the trussloft/attic is that heavily involved, screw it...you're only asking for trouble getting under something like that, especially when you start bouncing those high-powered hose streams off the already weakened structural members.

[pfdaz1]

pfdaz1,

Can you shed some light on the building construction? Lightweight truss roof??? Thanks.

Lightweight 2x4 trusses. Unsure what it was sheathed with, covered with clay spanish tiles on the pitch. 90% of Phoenix is 2x4 with gussett plates. True mansard with one fire wall. Great thing is the overhang, which was open to the attic, went around the fire wall.

[ThNozzleman]

Great thing is the overhang, which was open to the attic, went around the fire wall.

That's always nice.

[NYSmokey]

Lightweight 2x4 trusses. Unsure what it was sheathed with, covered with clay spanish tiles on the pitch. 90% of Phoenix is 2x4 with gussett plates. True mansard with one fire wall. Great thing is the overhang, which was open to the attic, went around the fire wall.

Thanks pfdaz1. It appeared to be lightweight truss but you know what happens when you assume something Stay safe out there.