LESSONS LEARNED 4/22/06
Fire behavior that many may be unaware of was graphically displayed during the Major Emergency in Battalion 10 (See video below). Shown above is Battalion 14 Staff Assistant Cristian Granucci, who performed Fire Attack at the incident while working on RA 39. S/A Granucci is standing in the hallway on the fire (3rd) floor of the apartment complex. Behind S/A Granucci (to the left in picture) is an area of the hallway approximately 20 feet long that is open to the outside (courtyard) area of the complex.
As firefighters began to attack the fire unit, which is approximately 50 feet to S/A Granucci's right (towards the camera), the fire and heavy smoke was extending out of the short hallway to the apartment entrance and down the main hallway towards where S/A Granucci is standing. It was also extending down the hallway in the opposite direction. (See video of fire here)
What is important to note is that the 20 foot opening (shown in the video) DOES NOT provide a means for the fire to vent to the exterior in a manner that would slow or stop the advance of the fire down the hallway. In fact, as you can see in the picture (evidenced by the smoke line on the walls), the fire and smoke continued down the hallway past S/A Granucci's position at the opening and actually turned in both directions at the intersection of the connecting hallway (a distance of approximately 100 feet).
The companies assigned to Fire Attack on this incident successfully contained the fire by ventilating over the fire, placing lines on both sides of the fire unit and agressively attacking the fire.
All members should take note of the fire behavior detailed above and consider it when operating in a similiar environment.
