building and construction
FIRT 1327 Building and Construction
Volunteer Lieutenant Killed and Two Fire Fighters Injured Following Bowstring Roof Collapse at Theatre Fire – Wisconsin
10/15/13
Mr. Conklin
Christian Rodarte
In Wisconsin on March 4th , 2012 a 34 year old lieutenant volunteer firefighter was killed. This man was on top of the roof on a theatre when he suddenly fell through the roof and was trapped isinde the burning theater. I choose this topic because I wfound it interesting that he was only a volunteer that was attempting to help out but his life was suddenly cut short by a stroke of bad luck and not knowing the right things to do, Throughout my investigation into this story I found out some ways that this could have been prevented and this man could maybe still be alive if protocol was followed, or if he knew what he was doing.
The fire originally started in the lobby of a movie theatre constructed in 1948. The theatre was of Type III construction and was made of masonry block walls with a brick façade (A-side) and a bowstring roof truss system spanning over the auditorium. The theatre measured approximately 50 feet by 100 feet, containing approximately 6,750 square feet (4,550 square feet above ground) When the fire was happening the presence of the bowstring truss roof system was not identified by either of the departments. To get to the "attic" area you would go up through the use of a straight ladder positioned at the rear of the movie screen. The theatre owner did not recall the size of wooden cords used to construct the bowstring roof, but he did state the construction was original and that he could walk on the rafters to change light bulbs. The theatre's lobby and auditorium contained a concrete floor. The concrete floor in the auditorium had a gradual downward slope from A-side to C-side.
Within this type III construction there was many factors contributing to the fire, the collapse, and the death of this
Volunteer Lieutenant Killed and Two Fire Fighters Injured Following Bowstring Roof Collapse at Theatre Fire – Wisconsin
10/15/13
Mr. Conklin
Christian Rodarte
In Wisconsin on March 4th , 2012 a 34 year old lieutenant volunteer firefighter was killed. This man was on top of the roof on a theatre when he suddenly fell through the roof and was trapped isinde the burning theater. I choose this topic because I wfound it interesting that he was only a volunteer that was attempting to help out but his life was suddenly cut short by a stroke of bad luck and not knowing the right things to do, Throughout my investigation into this story I found out some ways that this could have been prevented and this man could maybe still be alive if protocol was followed, or if he knew what he was doing.
The fire originally started in the lobby of a movie theatre constructed in 1948. The theatre was of Type III construction and was made of masonry block walls with a brick façade (A-side) and a bowstring roof truss system spanning over the auditorium. The theatre measured approximately 50 feet by 100 feet, containing approximately 6,750 square feet (4,550 square feet above ground) When the fire was happening the presence of the bowstring truss roof system was not identified by either of the departments. To get to the "attic" area you would go up through the use of a straight ladder positioned at the rear of the movie screen. The theatre owner did not recall the size of wooden cords used to construct the bowstring roof, but he did state the construction was original and that he could walk on the rafters to change light bulbs. The theatre's lobby and auditorium contained a concrete floor. The concrete floor in the auditorium had a gradual downward slope from A-side to C-side.
Within this type III construction there was many factors contributing to the fire, the collapse, and the death of this