Fire Investigation on Scarborough Civic Hall - Coursework Example

FIRE INVESTIGATION REPORT ON SCARBOROUGH CIVIC HALL NAME: DATE: SCARBOROUGH FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES FIRE INVESTIGATION REPORT Incident number: 493 Date of Incident: 6th December 2003 Time of call: 0311.11 hours Date and time investigation commenced: Address of the incident: Scarborough Civic Hall, Market Street Owned by: Scarborough Borough Council Occupied by: Scarborough Recreation and Leisure Limited Trade/Business: Recreation and leisure facility Police Officer Dealing: ADO Smith CRS No: 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND CURRICULUM VITAE 1.1 I am watch manager employee at the Scarborough Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), presently, my main task is of an Incident Intelligence officer which involves gathering of evidences in cases of fire. I have been at the services of the Scarborough Fire and Rescue Services in different duties which fire fighting includes them for 3 years now. 1.2 My duty is to perform and assist in the investigation of fire in Scarborough, aiming mostly on the investigation of fires associated with loss of life, dangerous injury, huge financial losses and those of arson. I am an official member of the fire engineers; I became a member after passing their prerequisite examination to become a member, with fire investigation being part of it. Currently I have been posted at Scarborough Fire and Rescue Services of Borough council. I was requested to perform a fire investigation due to Scarborough civic hall falling under the jurisdicted area of this council, of which I am obliged to. 1.3 Curriculum Vitae Name ……………………. Safety Engineer Officer, Mobile no: ………………………. E-mail ………………………. D.O.B:   .……………………….. Marital status:   ……………………….. Postal address ………………………… Works Tel no:    .………………………... Academic background: Degree in Mechanical Engineering (Automotive and transport option) MSC in Fire & Safety Engineering Red Cross trained first aider Career objective: To be an expertise who can oversee and coordinate matters relating to fire and safety. WORK EXPERIENCE November 1999 to October 2001 Project: Oil exploration in Northern Kenya Contractor: Yangsun Inc China Sub Contractor: Tehran contractors Position held: Safety Officer Roles played: Allocation of work permits Allocation of notes concerning safety Allocation of duties Writing timely reports. INTRODUCTION Fire investigation report on Scarborough civic hall The report offers to table evidences on fire investigation basing on Scarborough civic hall by assessing and guiding through the building structure, how the fire started, incident which occurred, what led to the discovery of fire, where it began, conclusion and available solution to prevent and oversee any incidences of fire around the same. I was able to personally attend the fire incident site to investigate and write a complete fire investigation report on every occurrence at the place pre and post fire outbreak. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREMISES 2.1 This premise was built as a public utility building, the Scarborough civic hall was constructed in 1965. It is located 3 miles from the council fire and rescue service station. This can be clearly seen in the site map below. It incorporates a detached single storey building, measuring 36m by 22m. The wall linings on the inside were constructed from glass fibres combined with plasterboard. Spraying different paints combined with varnish was used to maintain the walls of the building. 2.2 Wood or particleboards’ combined with various laid layers of which bitumen felt was part off was used in the roofing of the building, it had a concrete floor. The building lacked any kind of suspended ceiling boards in emergency of fire outbreak, as this was vividly seen. 2.3 Internal services within the house. Six double fluorescent tubes were placed in the building, placed ¾ through the way to the vault, just back of the ceiling. A three set of nine large pendant glass light was placed in the ceiling board. The apex of the ceiling board had one of the glasses and on the other side. Thus adding up to eighty one, due to the identified nine bulbs. 2.4 A scaffolding tube had stage lights fitted to it towards the ceiling board, which was roughly four metres from phases’ boundary. An extra scaffolding tube was located over the stage aiding lights straight, Wood Jacobs was to check every banks of lightening which was managed over the theatre from the elevation of timber platform. 2.5 A mains gas was placed to run the heating system in this hall. In aiding the heater, a fan was provided and it was placed in the main hall plus the other two heaters placed in the bar lounge, this was aimed at providing a permanent heating source. When the fire broke out, the heater in the main hall was not working. For this reason, an optional heating mechanism was provided which concerned placing on the bar surfaces an electric heater. 2.6 Furniture and fittings Stagnant bench made of polyurethane foam seen as upholstered, fitted within the bar lounge, was part of the internal furnishing of Scarborough civic hall. Roughly 200 polyurethane seats were got in the main hall, with other 110 foam placed in the cloak room 2.7To add onto that, roughly fifty polyurethane foam upholstered PVC enclosed stools were there, of which 30 were got at the main hall with twenty placed or located in the bar lounge. Various wooden tables covered with Formica of 1.3m by 0.66m measuring plus six chairs and two stools were seen put on the optimum quality lighting platform. Beautiful cloths were placed in the opening in between the main hall and bar office and with the walls were beautified for Christmas carnival. Six plastic bells suspended in the ceiling was the part of the biggest decoration. Two home-made Christmas trees of two metre high were placed one of the side of the stage. 2.8.Some interesting beautifications like and streamers for hanging form the ceiling board which was roughly 0.75m diameter fixed on the walls. This was a Green room in the making which was used for storing props like three carpet rolls, cloths and other simple things. Flying colonnade with textile backdrops was above the stage. TYPE OF INCIDENT 3.1. The account of things which happened pre and post fire outbreak. The information have been got from the scene analysis and interviews on witnesses. Accuracy has been upholded in these processes, although there are some hiccups in evidence brought by different witnesses. 3.2 Scarborough Fire Service responded to one of the nine calls made, it was approxiametely 0311.11hours on the 6th of December 2003, the call was made by Mrs. Earnshow about fire at Civic Hall; two appliances from P73 Scarborough police station was called to aid, ADO Smith was informed thereafter. They reached there after four minutes. On their way to the scene, they consulted each other on the source of water and other issues. 3.3 P730 used Millford and industry way in arriving at the scene. The appliance was the parked in the car park near the outside of the double fire exit doors. ADO Smith wore fire gear and fire kit when he was scene walking towards the edges of the hall, Officer Jones confirmed his presence, later officer Jones was asked by commanding fire brigadier Brown, if any additional appliances was need? Thus at 0322.54 hours a message requesting four pumps was sent. 3.4ADO Smith, sub officer Jones played down the demand of the fire scene that the incident was minor despite thick smoke which was seen from the rooftop of the building. Due to this fire fighters Gordon, Laylock and O’Roley were rested, they even at some point thought they have located the fire position well through commanding fire fighters. During this time, there was no flame seen around the edge of the elevation. SITUATION PRIOR TO DISCOVERY P731 machine arrived to the scene using off market road and in attendance was reserved for just 1 minute and 12 seconds P730. The crew identified fire outbreak which had spread well around the main foyer together with the bar lounge. Fire brigadiers Oaks, breathing apparatus and others asked from the sub fire officials. Securing a water supply hence a jet so that water could be sprinkled from an aerial view of the building, this was the advice of the officer. 4.2 On the other hand, Machine P731 landed on the South West corner of the premise within the sight of machine P730; significantly the fire fighters did not remove any of their BA sets. Smith then walked all over the premises following the direction where machine P731 was located to in order to identify the problem and carry out investigations.P731 machine entered through the South West corner of the premise around the eye view of P730 machine, importantly BA sets were not removed by the fire fighters. Smith went after the machine P731 all the way to check problems and perform an investigation. Sub officer Jones entered through the door through the key holders and lastly entered the kitchen. There was some light in the kitchen, windows were opened to let smoke out, the officer later employed hose reel via the air to the fire and fought fire via the ceiling. 4.3. Available standpipe was used by commanding fire brigadier Brown to control fire, source of water supply was located by Laylock. With a Motorola MT2100 used to set channel 1 with them, the BA team force themselves inside. The Motorola radio was carried by fire fighter Oaks, as he was the acting team commandant. DISCOVERY OF FIRE 5.1 This account is from hall keeper, David Moreton and was recorded in the duty diary on 6th December 2003 by Watch Manager. 5.2Frank Davies, the nominated key holder responded to the emergency call that an intruder alarm in the hall was set off, on the way he noticed flames near the hall. He was to check if things were right, after receiving a call from ADT alarm centre. He reached there within five minutes, while reaching their using Market Street, he was able to see fire in the building and flames from the vent of roof. 5.2 Mrs. Earnshaw contacted the fire service immediately after seeing flames from her bedroom’s window, as she was just living in a building overlooking the civic hall. Mrs. Earnshaw said that she was able to locate flames at a place near the main entrance at the South East Corner of the civic hall. AREA WHERE THE FIRE STARTED 6.1. After the fire fighting team gaining access to the hall, strength of the heat was high and visibility was poor because of smoke which was all over the civic hall. During this time, the team could only hear what was thought to be a well developed fire way over their controls, but they didn’t identify any flame. Lastly, officer Lobby joined Jones who was in the kitchen, where he informed him of the progress of fire inside; this was after P731 crew had been posted. DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRE/PERGORMANCE OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS 7.1 Scarborough Civic Hall was totally brought down within 38 minutes. This is an evident of large amount of combustible material which was in the hall during the fire. The building’s propellants fastened the intensity of the heat, with this; there is a need to analyze the possible growth of fire 7.2 Ventilation profile, individual’s section ability to have fire and usual making that propels the spread of fire, compartment to compartment is used to know fire spread within the building. A common roof, entire construction of the hall with timber which is fire-prone made fire to spread upon ignition. The timber material easily caught fire, thus flashover occurred due to this in the growth phase. 7.3 Ribbons, pieces of fabric, oil-based paints used in decoration and polyurethane stools which were at the start ignited by the smoking material heightened the building’s fire load. These flammable materials positively propelled the fire; moreover, the upper section’s fire of the building was contributed by the Jacob’s ladder. 7.4 The large ventilation profile of the building was aimed at allowing air flow without hitches. The fire was likely to spread southern end of the hall where it originated as the wind of 5mph was blowing from the north. But combustible materials which were there made the fire to spread northwards. Ventilation profile of the hall played part in the increase of the burning fire thus fastens its speed of growth. Furthermore, air entered in the building when team of the fire service entered the hall thus increasing the fire. 7.5 Solid and gaseous fuels which had various heat levels compared to polyurethane materials held in the hall at the time fire greatly contributed to the fire increasing. The hall had mains gas and thus loose fitted bulbs for lighting might have easily ignited the fire. To add on to that, gas leakage might have helped in quick fire spread. 8.0 CAUSED CONSIDERED 8.1 Smoking materials 8.1.1 The hall inside furnishing was made of stagnant bench within the bar lounge which was same us polyurethane foam seen as upholstered. Roughly 200 polyurethane seats were stack in the main hall and another 110 stacked in the cloak room of Scarborough civic hall 8.1.2 Estimately 50 polyurethane foam upholstered PVC covered stools, with 30 put in the main hall and 20 put in the bar lounge were all at the south east end of the civic hall. Another 6 chairs and 2 stools were located put on the high quality lighting platform. 8.1.3 Very interesting beatifications were put to the walls like streamers of 0.75m in diameter used to hang from the ceiling board. Storage of props like 3 rolls of carpet, fabric or cloths and other items were put in this set to be Green room. Above the stage was the flying colonnade, this could have been the cause of the fire spreading widely. 8.1.4 Remains of cigarette were found near the hall’s main entrance, which was thought to be the initial source of ignition, due to nearness to the seat had flammable material. It confirms to the various statements from Mrs. Earnshaw and Mr. Davies who attested to having seen the fire at the main entrance on the south east end of the hall. The heat was transferred to other flammable materials after the cigarette first burning the seats 8.2 Electrical System and appliances 8.2.1 The building electrical system was rewired seven years ago with exception of the stage area by Nicholas Contracting LTD, but it did not include testing of the stage lightings. Additional stage lighting were properly installed and certified in September 2003 by Southern Stage Services. 8.2.2 There had been a recurring problem relating to four 32 amp circuit breakers following this new installation. An electrician (Mr. Townsend)rectified the problem on 3rd December 2003 to prevent the disruption of the forthcoming talent contest. Mr. Townsend advised Mr. Moreton on the real danger of a fire occurring if electrical installations are not done well. But Mr. Addis said that Mr. Townsend had overreacted and that any problems identified were resolved prior to the show. Mr. Addis agreed that one stage light tripped out, but was replaced and denied any circuit breakers had been tampered with. Mr. Moreton confirmed to have switched off remaining lights on the stage via the main switch, although he said he heard a buzzing noise while clearing up after the show but could not locate the source. From the testimonies that the fire started from the South East Corner by the key holder and the rest and Mr. Addis ruling out electricity shortcomings as the cause. 8.2.2 Immediately after this reconnection this is when the problems started, the problem has been persistence especially in the relation to four 32 amp-rating circuit breakers that managed the currently installed dimmer lights. The circuit breakers always kept tripping out, In contrast the said protective devices were seen to be tested and approved in the events of regular checkups. 8.2.3 Moreton had conducted an electrical engineer by the name Andy to solve the power problems that were being witnessed within the building so that the forth coming talent event could be secure from any power related issues. In reference to the study, Mr. Townsend did investigation on the nature of the lightening system and ignored to implement any remedy in case of a fire outbreak. This was clear evidence that the fire outbreak was due to the faulty electronic appliances and this could have been the cause of the regular circuit breakers and trips. 8.3 Heating systems 8.3.1 According to the study, the heating systems contributed a lot to the fire breakout, as the primary gas unit that was situated in the main hall was found to in bad condition or defective when the fire broke up, Also on the wall two mains gas heaters were seen hanging in the lounge of the bar. 8.3.2 From the entire mentioned incident we are able to conclude that the fire outbreak may have been caused by the defective electrical appliances and fitting within the hall, Furthermore the public reported that member within the congregation had been burnt during the occasion by a heater, and the personality was not identified within the given time. 8.4 Possible Arson 8.4.1 Mr. Davies was contacted to attend the hall because the intruder alarm that was received at the call centre had been set off. The intruder alarms signify that there was the possibility of a break in given the fact that monies collected during the event could possibly be held within the premises. 8.4.2 The internal fire exit door that is accessible from the blue room was opened which was uncommon, according to Mr. Davies testimony. But he could not confirm if the door was opened when he vacated the hall. 8.4.3 Faultiness of intruder alarms were confirmed by both Frank Davies and Dave Moreton, this one could intrude without being detected. After the fire was extinguish, the tills holding the cash were found to be empty. 9.0 Conclusion 9.1 Fire safety creation and provision The following safety measures against fire are supposed to in a building and this are; The first measure is property protection these is where we should consider protection of contents such as furnishings, fittings objects of value and other forms of property the most important fire regulations, the most important requirements have been basically placed towards the necessary fire resistance principles for walls and floors to avoid the spread of blaze and the stipulation of an appropriate way of escape to guarantee life safety. the second measure that should be put into consideration is prevention of conflagrations this is preventing of fire from spreading to other buildings in the surroundings like it happened in horizontal spread of fire amongst timber made buildings at Scarborough Civic Hall , the third measure should be life safety, in the buildings that there are occupants as the offices ,they require enough time and facilities to help them escape in times of fire. 9.2 Lastly, making use of equipments that may not act as source of ignition, use extraction systems to be able to remove flammable materials like wood, dust keeping of combustible liquids in the process areas, workrooms laboratory and other working areas ,the rooms should also be ventilated to dilute and removing flammable gases are special precautions needed in houses. LIST OF APPENDICES Figure 1: Detailed site plan of the hall Figure 2: Hall’s Rear Elevation Fig 3: Hall’s Floor Plan Read More