THE ARNOT MALL FIRE
1月1990, a fire broke out at the Arnot Mall, located on Route 17, between the cities of Elmira and Corning, in south-central New York. The mall consists of five large anchor stores and more than 100 small businesses. The majority of the structure is one-story. Flic center court area, containing a food court and a cinema complex, is two stories. Ill is section also has a large “atrium” area extending from ground level to the roof, with skylights over much of the space. The mall is fully sprinklered.
The fire started at approximately 3:30 p.m. on a Saturday, originating in a storeroom at the rear of a shoe store in the center of the mall. Its cause was a defective hair dryer used to dr)dyed shoes. The fire involved the entire storeroom, which was filled with shoes in cardboard boxes. The sprinkler piping in the storeroom was never connected to the system. This allowed the fire to burn unimpeded until it reached the main retail area of the store. Sprinklers held the fire in this area. Fire extended into the large concealed space above the shoe store. Sprinklers had been installed in the void above some of the stores in the mall but not above the shoe store.
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