Question on Car Fire/Building Multi Residential Firefighting Tactics

[bikeman25]

Hi

We had a recent Car Fire/Building Fire in our Condo Complex--in another building 2 buildings away from ours, anyways FD Responded, Volunteers(Great bunch), with Pumper, Mini pumper, Ambulance, Aerial, and Mutual Aid Aerial Platform, and one more Mutual Aid Aerial--another Platform.

The second platform they couldn't use since road is narrow in that part, no room for outriggers, other Pierce Tower was already up, and spraying on the building and car, they didn't make entry into the building til the car was extisiqued, is that normal operating procedure for Fire Departments, Also was described as big loud boom, flames shooting 30 feet into the air, wondering as well if a car exploding would be the cause of that, or electrical or gas problems?

Also our Condo Complex only has 1 entry and exit road, rear is a turn around circle, is that legal or illegal to do, the 100 foot platform trucks ended up backing out the one entrance of the complex. This City's Trucks turned around fine back there though.

Thank you all for your time and reading of this

Note: Fire ended up in the Attic of the condo building

Only Loft Unit burned though, ranch in front of the loft looked fine, and 2 ranches on the side appeared to be ok, unless had smoke and water damage inside.

[Eng34FF]

Well, it's hard to answer your questions based on the info given and having not been there. In general, I would work on extinguishing the car outside, but send a crew inside to check for extension (that's assuming that there is no obvious extension). In your question, one of the truck crews may have gone in to check while doing a search.

I can't explain the "loud boom" that you describe, but doubt that it was a car "exploding." Of the car fires I've seen, I have yet to see one explode. That's from the movies. It may have been a shock, a tire or other gas cylinder on the car that caused the sound.

[bikeman25]

Well don't know what exactly it was, guess will find out somepoint, all i know is glad they got it under control reliately quickly--considering there's only a little grass seperation between buildings.


was a car in the garage as well

[Abbott0489]

if i were sitting in the fire SUV in this particular situation, i would say "put water, on the fire... consistantly til there's no more fire..."

Simple enough, no?

in all seriousness though, while not knowing the building first hand, i gotta emphisize the always present dangers of any light weight truss contstruction, especially in newer condos and townhomes. with the large fire load already present, the times ticking.

Kneeling on the blitz line or letting the tower take care of it isn't necessarily the answer though. make the push inside if you can, but be mindful of the construction around you. truss sucks.

[FlyingKiwi]

I have yet to see one explode

So you have never seen the petrol tank decide to join the party then.

I am so glad we do not have arial, um aerial, them tower thingies round here, means we have to "fight the fire". Instead of sitting on our dates outside watching the water run of the outside of the building.

[hwoods]

So you have never seen the petrol tank decide to join the party then.

I am so glad we do not have arial, um aerial, them tower thingies round here, means we have to "fight the fire". Instead of sitting on our dates outside watching the water run of the outside of the building.

No, I have never seen a Petrol Tank, on Fire or otherwise. We do not have Petrol in the United States, But we do have a lot of Gasoline.


Speaking to your other point, those folks on the outside aren't just watching, they're monitoring the water Temperature. When the water running out of the remains of the structure becomes quite cold, then the Fire is out.

Any more Questions??............

[eightball31308]

hey what up you all this is pretty cool seeing that i am new at all of this do you know what i mean or what