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NOTEWORTHY BUILDING FIRE CATASTROPHE
Several noteworthy fire-related catastrophes have led to sweeping changes in building codes
and revised techniques used to prevent and fight fires in buildings. These events include the following
catastrophes.
1. Iroquois Theatre fire
The Iroquois Theatre fire occurred on December 30, 1903, at the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago,
Illinois, United States. It was the deadliest theater fire and the deadliest single-building fire in
U.S. history, resulting in at least 602 deaths.
A public inquiry revealed that most injuries occurred within 15 min of the start of the fire,
which was put out by the fire department within a half hour. A large fraction of the injuries were
caused by being crushed. As a result of these investigations, the fire code was changed to
require theater doors to open outward and to have fire exits clearly marked. Theaters were also
required to have employee practice fire drills.
2. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New
York City, on March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city,
and one of the deadliest in U.S. history. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers –
123 women and girls and 23 men– who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or
jumping to their deaths.
The Asch Building itself was constructed of modern con- struction techniques and was classified
as fireproof. An investi- gation concluded that the fire was caused by combustible shirtwaists
and fabric scraps that littered the floors. This tragedy eventually led to the introduction of fire-
prevention legislation, factory inspections, liability insurance, and better working conditions for
employees.
3. Cocoanut Grove fire
The Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston, Massachusetts, United States on November 28, 1942, was
the deadliest nightclub fire in history, and second-deadliest single-building fire in American
history, claiming 492 lives. The "Grove" was one of Boston's most popular nightspots,
attracting many celebrity visitors. It was owned by Barnet "Barney" Welansky, closely
connected to the Mafia and to Mayor Maurice J. Tobin.
Fire regulations had not been observed: some exit-doors had been locked to prevent
unauthorized entry, and the elaborate palm-tree décor contained flammable materials. The air-
conditioning also used flammable gas, because Freon was in short supply.
4. World Trade Center
A terrorist attack catastrophically destroyed the twin towers of World Trade Center in New
York City. The two towers were un- able to endure the effects of a direct hit by two hijacked
commercial jetliners on the morning of September 11, 2001. Shortly after the attack, both
towers collapsed, killing nearly 3000 people.
Although the towers were designed to withstand being struck by an aircraft, the resultant
explosions and fires weakened the structure of the building, collapsing the upper floors and
creating too much load for the lower floors to bear. Once one story collapsed, all floors above
began to fall. The huge mass of falling upper structure gained momentum, crushing the
structurally intact floors below and resulting in catastrophic failure of the entire structure. This
tragedy will unquestionably have a long-term effect on building codes, fire prevention,
evacuation plans, and firefighting tactics in skyscrapers. It has resulted in more stringent
emergency evacuation procedures and improved safety regulations for all high-rise commercial
and residential buildings.
FIRE
Fire is a combustion reaction that requires oxygen (air), heat, and a fuel. Typically, a spark or
flame ignites the fire, beginning the combustion reaction. In order for combustion to continue,
there must be sufficient heat given off by the reaction and a proper blend of oxygen and fuel.
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion,
releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. The rate at which a fire burns is dependent
on the composition of the fuel, the surface area of the fuel, the rate at which fuel absorbs heat,
and the amount of oxygen that is present.
CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE
Generally, fire is classified into four groups
Group A: Ordinary combustibles (e.g., wood, paper, plastics, trash, grass, and so on)
Class A fires are defined as ordinary combustibles. These types are fires use commonly
flammable material as their fuel source. Wood, fabric, paper, trash, and plastics are common
sources of Class A fires. This is essentially the common accidental fire encountered across
several different industries.
Group B: Flammable liquids (e.g., gasoline, oil, grease, acetone, and so on)
Class B fires involve flammable and combustible liquids such as gasoline, alcohol, oil-based
paints, lacquers.
Group C: Electrical equipment (e.g., any electrical wiring, connection, equipment, and so on)
Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment.
Group D: combustible metals (e.g., potassium, sodium, aluminum, magnesium, and so on)
Class D fires involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, and sodium.
EXTINGUISHING A FIRE
The basic methods for extinguishing a fire are to suffocate it by ensuring that it cannot have
access to oxygen, to cool it with a liquid such as water which reduces the heat or finally to
remove the fuel or oxygen source, effectively removing one of the three elements of fire.
1. Attack a fire in the direction of the wind.

2. Extinguish liquid fires and fires caused by dripping substances from the top down.
3. Extinguish wall fires from the bottom up.
4. Use several fire extinguishers at once, not one after another.
5. Take account of any back draft.
Extinguishing a building fire is more complex than quenching a content fire. The spreading
flames that are sometimes concealed must be located and disrupted in addition to extinguishing
the original content fire. To accomplish this effectively, the firefighter must know the various
ways fire can spread throughout a building structure.

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NOTEWORTHY BUILDING FIRE CATASTROPHE

1. Iroquois Theatre fire

1. Attack a fire in the direction of the wind.

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