This is definitely a sad story, the worst loss of firefighters since 9/11 in this country.  I'll give my moment of respect to these courageous people.  :(

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/19/charleston.fire/index.html

If the building had had a sprinkler system, there wouldn't have been any loss of life....and not much of a fire left to be put out (if any).    :\'(

so very sad. :\'(

So sad.  :\'(

This reminds me of a fire that happened in New York in the late 70's or early 80's.  My friend's father died while fighting a fire on the roof of a supermarket. 

It reminds me of the terrible warehouse fire up here in Worcester, Mass., 12/09/99, in which six firefighters died.  That warehouse was an illegal squat for some homeless people.  The homeless people got out, but the firefighters risked their lives entering the building to search for people trapped inside.  Six of them perished. 

Again in Charleston we see firefighters giving their own lives to save the lives of others.  Yes, it's their duty, but that does not lessen the heroism.

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/15/tearyeyed.gif

Indeed, a very unfortunate event.  :(


If the building had had a sprinkler system, there wouldn't have been any loss of life....and not much of a fire left to be put out (if any).    :\'(


With all the furniture, their flammability, and the design of the building, a sprinkler system would not have helped much, if at all. Ever see those PSAs on Christmas trees catching fire? By the time the heat would reach a sprinkler head and melt it to start the water flow, the room is more or less a fireball.

Christmas Tree Fire Video

A sprinkler would go off about six seconds after that fire starts, but the fire is already raging past the point of being controlled by it. Note too that toward the end of the video, the fire is oxygen starved, and combustible gasses are building up rapidly: introducing a source of oxygen at that point would make for one hell of an explosion.

Fires like that are scary sheesh: I've the utmost respect for firefighters.

Indeed, a very unfortunate event.  :(

With all the furniture, their flammability, and the design of the building, a sprinkler system would not have helped much, if at all. Ever see those PSAs on Christmas trees catching fire? By the time the heat would reach a sprinkler head and melt it to start the water flow, the room is more or less a fireball.

Christmas Tree Fire Video

A sprinkler would go off about six seconds after that fire starts, but the fire is already raging past the point of being controlled by it. Note too that toward the end of the video, the fire is oxygen starved, and combustible gasses are building up rapidly: introducing a source of oxygen at that point would make for one hell of an explosion.

Fires like that are scary sheesh: I've the utmost respect for firefighters.



Ya, I have the utmost respect for them too.  I was going to apply to become a firefighter when I got out of the Marines, but I would have had to wait a year longer to take the test.

Indeed, a very unfortunate event.  :(

With all the furniture, their flammability, and the design of the building, a sprinkler system would not have helped much, if at all. Ever see those PSAs on Christmas trees catching fire? By the time the heat would reach a sprinkler head and melt it to start the water flow, the room is more or less a fireball.

Christmas Tree Fire Video

A sprinkler would go off about six seconds after that fire starts, but the fire is already raging past the point of being controlled by it. Note too that toward the end of the video, the fire is oxygen starved, and combustible gasses are building up rapidly: introducing a source of oxygen at that point would make for one hell of an explosion.

Fires like that are scary sheesh: I've the utmost respect for firefighters.




Yeah, I saw it.  I was just repeating what I heard the fire chief say.  I guess the fire was originally contained in an area small enough that the sprinklers (if there had been any) would have made a difference.  I'll post the article if I can find it, but I saw it on the news last night, so I don't know if it is in print anywhere.  Of course I may not have all the facts.