Fire report - 3300 Words

Fire report (Other (Not Listed) Sample) Content: INSTRUCTIONS

TOPIC: FIRE INVESTIGATION REPORT (MH) Summary: Number of pages:12Academic level:University, Bachelor'sReferencing style:HarvardClient country:United Kingdom (UK English) Fire Investigation Report Scarborough Civic Hall Presented To ( ) By ( ) (Date) Introduction And Curriculum Vitae Academic Background: I graduated with an MSc in Structural fire company assessments of commercial occupancies; plan review and assessment of modern fire suppression/ protection systems; assessment of high risk properties; and the assessment of construction of high risk buildings. I am also a member of the Fire Protection Association and the Association for Specialist Fire Protection actively involved in the related committees. Brief: I am currently posted at Scarborough Fire and Rescue Service as a Watch Manager and I was requested to conduct this investigation within this capacity. My brief was to carry out the fire inve stigation detailing areas such as the fire development and potential causes of the fire and summarily compile a fire investigation report on the same. Description Of The Premises The Scarborough Civic Hall was constructed in 1965. The Scarborough Civic Hall was a public amenity building and its main function was to provide catering facilities, recreation facilities such as the stage area and dance floor. It consisted of a detached single storey building measuring 36m x 22m (see figure 1). The hall structure comprised of a laminated timber portal frame with stud framed walls, fibre boarding to the inside and cedar boarding to the outside. The internal wall linings were plasterboard with glass fibre in fill. From its construction in 1965, the walls of the building had variously been treated with different applications of varnish or gloss paint. Significantly, with regards to the fire dynamics the hall did not have any suspended ceilings (see figure 2). The main hal l was lighted by six double fluorescent tubes along each side of the ceiling about three quarters of the way up the vault. Nine glass pendant lights hung from the ceiling in sets of three, one at the apex of the ceiling and one either side. Each fitting had nine bulbs totalling eighty-one. The building was supplied with mains gas which powered the heating system and electricity. The main source of heating was a fan assisted heater contained in the main hall and two wall mounted heaters in the bar lounge and a wall mounted electric heater located in the bar area. The internal furnishings of the hall comprised of fixed bench style polyurethane foam upholstered seating in the bar lounge, about two hundred polyurethane foam upholstered chairs in the main hall and approximately fifty polyurethane foam upholstered PVC covered stools in the main hall and bar lounge (see Figure 3). There were several wooden Formica covered tables measuring approximately 1.3m x 0.66m in the main hall and bar lounge. Several decorations such as tinsel and plastic fan decorations hung from the ceiling and walls. The Green Room stored stage props, comprising of three rolls of carpet, clothes and other miscellaneous items. 3. Type of Incident The Caretaker of the hall secured the premises at 0255 hours. The incident was reported at 0311.11 hours on Saturday 6th December 2003 as a civic hall fire in the form of an initial nine calls to the Civic Hall Market Street Scarborough. Two appliances from station P73 Scarborough were the first to arrive at the scene of the incident taking about 4 minutes to arrive. From the appliance location smoke could be seen from the building. Both ADO Smith and Sub Officer Jones believed at this stage that the incident was relatively minor though Leading Fire-fighter Brown and Fire-fighter Dodson felt that the fire was well established. The key holder, a former fire-fighter directed them to the entrance door next to the kitchen, situate d on the North gable elevation (see Figure 4 and 5). At this point appliance P731 approached the incident through the entrance off Market Street and booked in attendance only one minute and twelve seconds after appliance P730. On approach the crew observed a well developed fire in the main foyer and bar lounge area. The breathing apparatus (BA) wearers secured a water supply and got a jet to work on the fire from outside the building. Significantly they did not remove their BA sets. ADO Smith instructed Sub Officer Jones to gain access to the building and attempt to locate and fight the fire. He then walked around the building in the direction of appliance P731 in order to carry out a full assessment. Sub Officer Jones entered the door unlocked by the key holder and went into the kitchen. There was some light smoke evident at ceiling level. He opened some small high level windows for ventilation. On the instruction of Sub Officer Jones a BA team was ordered to go under air and enter the building with a hose reel, locate and fight the fire. Leading Fire-fighter Brown took the standpipe key and bar and assisted Fire-fighter Laycock in obtaining a water supply. The BA team entered the building carrying a Motorola MT2100 radio believed to be set on ‘channel 1’, a hose reel fitted with the Delta Branch and a Dragon Light. Fire-fighter Oaks was ‘team leader’ and carried the radio, Fire-fighter Mores carried the Dragon Light. The team made reasonably easy progress experiencing only low temperatures and light smoke. When the team entered the main hall it became much hotter and the level of visibility was reduced by the smoke to approximately half a metre. ADO Smith observed the extent of the fire on the other side of the building, returned to the entry point and ordered the withdrawal of the Breathing Apparatus Team. The order for withdrawal was made but conditions were now very hot and visibility negligible. On receipt of the o rder to withdraw all BA wearers exited the building together. At 0328.53 hours ADO Smith instructed Fire-fighter O’Connor to make pumps six. The time between appliance P730 booking in attendance at 0321.56 hours and informing Control that BA teams had been withdrawn at 0332.26 hours was just 10 minutes and thirty seconds. Within this period of time the driver sent an assistance message, re-sited the appliance and a hose reel was pulled off and made ready. Consequently the time from the initial team entering to both teams exiting can only have been approximately 7 minutes. At 0342.47 hours ADO Smith requested an Aerial Appliance At 0342.53 hours ADO Smith requested the Environmental Protection Unit At 0349.46 hours Sector Command was established At 0409.06 hours DO Bowerman took command of the incident At 0608.54 hours Stop Message sent Situation Prior To The Discovery Prior to the fire on the evening of the 5th December 2003, the hall was being used for a talen t contest. There were roughly three hundred people in attendance that ended at around midnight. The patrons however left some timer after the events conclusion. When the bar closed, there was about  £4000 in two tills. Frank Davies was the key holder and bar person in charge the money. He decided not to deposit it in the safe located in the bar due to security concerns because in 2002, David Moreton the Hall Keeper had been attacked on the premises after a function and monies stolen. David Moreton was the last person to leave the premises; he prepared it for a craft fair which was to take place the following day. This involved clearing the hall and stacking two hundred polyurethane chairs in groups of ten near the main entrance. He secured the building at approximately 0255 hours. Discovery Of Fire The following account was given by the key holder Frank Davies to the Watch Manager. This information was recorded in the duty diary on the 7th of December, 2003. On the 6 th of December, 2003 at 0311.11 hours, nine calls were placed reporting a fire. The first call to the Fire Service was made by Mrs. Earnshaw of 667 Market Street. Her home overlooked the hall and she could see the fire in the main entrance and south- east corner of the building from her bedroom window. At 0306 hours an intruder alarm signal had been received by ADT alarm call centre (contract number 1004240). ADT alerted Frank Davies as a nominated key holder. He initially declined to attend and asked them to contact Ron Smith the Company Secretary. ADT were unable to make contact with Mr. Smith and rang Frank Davies back. He attended the premises taking approximately five minutes to arrive. As he approached from market Street, he could see fire inside the building in the area of the main entrance hall and flames ...