Charlotte, NC 5th Alarm 05/18/23

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GFD70

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Looks like were using light weight trusses throughout. Hasn't NYC been approving "vertical lumberyard" high rises like this for a while now?
 
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Captain784

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I live in Monroe in Orange County New York, near a Hasidic Jewish Community of Kris Joel. Within the last year in Kris Joel they built, a large number of 6 story "Stick built." Wood frame multiple dwellings. These are now fully occupied by large families on all 6 floors. Access to the buildings is generally poor for fire apparatus and there are only few hydrants as a water supply. I truly fear what might happen if a fire extends outside of a room and contents and into the support structure for these buildings. When you see a 5th alarm fire, such as happened in Charlotte N.C. I truly worry about the families living in these dangerous buildings.
 
Bulldog

Bulldog

Bulldog
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Captain784 said:
I live in Monroe in Orange County New York, near a Hasidic Jewish Community of Kris Joel. Within the last year in Kris Joel they built, a large number of 6 story "Stick built." Wood frame multiple dwellings. These are now fully occupied by large families on all 6 floors. Access to the buildings is generally poor for fire apparatus and there are only few hydrants as a water supply. I truly fear what might happen if a fire extends outside of a room and contents and into the support structure for these buildings. When you see a 5th alarm fire, such as happened in Charlotte N.C. I truly worry about the families living in these dangerous buildings.
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The big difference is that one Charlotte was under construction so there was no sheet rock installed which would definitely slow how fast the fire could spread.
 
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BK_1253

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Bulldog said:
The big difference is that one Charlotte was under construction so there was no sheet rock installed which would definitely slow how fast the fire could spread.
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That helps, but the huge job in Edgewater a few years back that destroyed several occupied wood frame apartment blocks shows that even when buttoned up, these buildings can allow fire to spread very quickly. Here in Richmond, VA they can't seem to throw these piles of kindling up fast enough. There are at least 6 under contruction just in the Scott's Addition neighborhood. Modern construction is done as cheap as builders are allowed, no matter what the potential cost.
 
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fdhistorian

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Lumber yards are limited to 20 feet in height because of the exposure problems. Seven story lumber yards are allowed if you just call them buildings under construction. Workers still get trapped on upper floors (remember the Houston L18 rescue?) and tower crane operators still need rescue (remember Atlanta?)
 
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entropychaser

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fdhistorian said:
Lumber yards are limited to 20 feet in height because of the exposure problems. Seven story lumber yards are allowed if you just call them buildings under construction. Workers still get trapped on upper floors (remember the Houston L8 rescue?) and tower crane operators still need rescue (remember Atlanta?)
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Houston Ladder 18....normally a tower, they were using a reserve aerial that day.
 
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RCL

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Here's a video from the scene showing the crane operator rescue

fb.watch

Radio Communication: Crane Operator Rescue | CRANE OPERATOR RESCUE: Here is just a small amount of the radio communication between firefighters as they worked toward a plan to rescue a crane... | By Queen City News | Facebook

22K views, 157 likes, 8 loves, 16 comments, 149 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Queen City News: CRANE OPERATOR RESCUE: Here is just a small amount of the radio communication between firefighters...
fb.watch fb.watch
 
D

DaveReinstein

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Captain784 said:
I live in Monroe in Orange County New York, near a Hasidic Jewish Community of Kris Joel. Within the last year in Kris Joel they built, a large number of 6 story "Stick built." Wood frame multiple dwellings. These are now fully occupied by large families on all 6 floors. Access to the buildings is generally poor for fire apparatus and there are only few hydrants as a water supply. I truly fear what might happen if a fire extends outside of a room and contents and into the support structure for these buildings. When you see a 5th alarm fire, such as happened in Charlotte N.C. I truly worry about the families living in these dangerous buildings.
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I lived in Rockland adjacent to new square. Pretty much the same exact setup as up in Orange County. All the new construction were as you described. Right on top of each other. Fun fact, it’s a completely walled in community one way in and one way out. On Friday night, they would block the entrance with four busses, and if there was a job the local FD would have to wait for someone to move the buses
 
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