The fire department dispatching center receives a report of a fire in the industrial part of town. This happened in Indianapolis, Indiana, on a Thursday night at 2055 hours. In this area, after about 5:00 p.m. on weeknights and all weekend, the sidewalks are rolled up and not that many citizens are in the area. By the time the fire department gets the call indicating a fire, the building might have been burning for a long time. The units dispatched to this fire were dispatched to a chimney fire. On arrival, the first unit reported fire and smoke showing, indicating the fire had time to become more than an incipient-stage fire. Any delay in reporting a fire will allow fire development to increase. Call for help early if you think you might need it.
This building, two stories in height and of ordinary construction, had possible offices or other uses for the spaces on the second floor. This type of structure has been used in the past for all sorts of reasons: illegal social clubs and bars, storefront churches, dance halls, social halls, and other occupancies that allow the owner to get revenue from unused or underused spaces. The “Happy Land” social club in New York City comes to mind. The owner needs more money to cover the cost of the building, and the local community is looking for a place to gather. The space is cheaper than legal and licensed areas for bars and clubs. Plus the clubs or bars can be removed from the public eye, so people won’t report them.
This means that you must examine quickly the second floor of this type of structure if conditions permit. There might be an unforeseen life hazard, and the space might not be well marked to avoid detection. Local units responding to the area are critical to the discovery of such spaces before a major incident. At this fire, personnel quickly searched the second floor. The search proved negative; the space was determined to be offices.
If you are a current subscriber,login here访问此内容。
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
