BY AARON HUMMEL AND ROB CHRISTENSEN
On August 1, 2013, Boise (ID) Fire Department (BFD) firefighters battled a three-alarm, three-story residential structure fire and came within inches of suffering a tragic loss. Five members narrowly avoided being buried when a structural collapse occurred. The 6,200-square-foot wood-frame home sat back on a corner lot. The residence was built in the late 1950s and had received approximately 4,000 square feet in additions throughout the years. The house was undergoing finishing work and was not lived in at the time of the fire. One of the captains assigned to the first alarm had seen photos of the interior on a real estate Web site two weeks prior to the fire.
The structure presented firefighters with a number of unique challenges. Generally, a residential structure of 6,200 square feet would fall more in line with a four- to six-unit apartment or a condominium building. However, when dealing with apartment occupancies, we find fire rated doors, walls, and compartmentalized interiors, which assist in slowing fire spread. This Hill Road structure had an open floor plan that provided large common areas through which fire could travel without being impeded throughout the structure. This is especially concerning when the fire is a wind-aided event, as this one was.
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