Division 7 Training and Safety Newsletter

DIVISION 7 TRAINING AND SAFETY NEWSLETTER

November 2014

VETERAN’S DAY: There have been countless members of the FDNY who have served their country in the U.S. Military and continue to do so today. The association with the New York City Fire Department and the U.S. Military goes back to the Revolutionary War. There were 7 members of the FDNY who were killed in World War I, 33 members of the FDNY killed in World War II and one member of the FDNY killed during Iraqi Freedom. Remember and honor them.

TIP OF THE HELMET TO: Engines 62, 63, 48, 75, 79, 88, 67, 93 Ladders 32, 34, 37, 41, 45, Rescue 3 and Squad 61 on their Unit Citations. To Engine 84, 95, Ladder 59 received Honorable Mentions for Unit Citations.

To Capt. Richard Kirschner E-88 on his Class “A”, Fr. Brian Browne R-3 on his Class “A”, Fr. Jason Warnken L-39 on his Class “B”, Fr. Julio Rosas E-79 on his Certificate of Merit, and Fr. Joseph Hauser III E-38 on his Certificate of Merit.

To Engine 43 and Ladder 59 on hosting the Memorial Day Collation.

THIRD AVENUE COLLAPSE: On April 4, 1956 there was a tragic front wall collapse at Bronx Box 4-4-2904 located at 4085 Third Avenue in the Bronx (between E. 174 St. and E. 175 St.). Three members of Engine 48, two members of Ladder 44 and one Chief’s Aide who was assigned to Asst. Chief Petronnelli, were killed at this fire. In addition to the fatalities, there were at least twelve more firefighters that were severely injured. Others were struck by bricks and debris that bounced further after the wall struck the ground.

The time clock in the store stopped at 1852 hours. The Fire Department did not receive the alarm until 1946 hours. E-46 and L-27 were responding to another box (2953) at Belmont Ave. and E. 176 St. which was found out later to be pulled for the fire in the furniture store. E- 46 and L-27 reported the verbal alarm and went to the furniture store. The collapse of the front wall occurred around 2100 hours, 1 hour and 14 minutes after the alarm was transmitted.

The building was a one-story taxpayer and was built in 1910. The building at the time of the fire was a furniture store. The building had an iron-framed marquee attached to the front wall and tied into the structure with light metal rods. The fire started in the cellar and spread through the voids to the first floor and ultimately to the cockloft. At the time of the collapse, the members of Engine 48 were operating a cellar pipe into a sidewalk cellar gate. The members of Ladder 44 were not under the marquee. The two firefighters from L-44 who were killed were footing a portable ladder. Another firefighter who was on the ladder was thrown clear and survived. It was a ”90 degree angle” wall collapse. The weight of the marquee was blamed for the collapse of the front wall. When the weight of the marquee pulled the wall down, it pulled down the entire front wall, not just the area under the marquee. When the wall collapsed, it took down power lines which caused a blackout in the immediate area. The blackout, coupled with the heavy black smoke and the Third Avenue elevated train tracks keeping the smoke from lifting made rescue and firefighting operations extremely difficult. There were no floodlights on fire apparatus in 1956.

The cause of the fire is undetermined but is suspected that it was careless smoking. This fire was, and still is the greatest FDNY loss of life In the Bronx. (Historical Note: This building was approximately 150 feet South of where the Cross Bronx Expressway is now, on the West side of Third Avenue. The Cross Bronx Expressway did not open until 1961. At the time of this fire, there was no L-58, L-59, or L-56. At the time of the fire, the Third Avenue Elevated Train was in place and operating.)

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON WALL COLLAPSE:

 The front wall of a commercial building is more susceptible to a collapse if it has a free- standing parapet wall, an ornamental cornice, a canopy or a marquee. These features can be considered collapse indicators.

 A free-standing parapet wall in a taxpayer can collapse in a wave if the supporting steel “I” Beam is heated to the point where it begins to loose strength or expand and twist. At 1100 degrees F steel loses 40% of its strength. When heated to 1000 degrees, a 100 foot long steel “I” beam expands 9 1/2 inches. If you see bricks falling from a building, they are probably being pushed out by an expanding “I” beam. Bricks do not fall by themselves.

 A marquee can fill with water when using outside streams creating an even greater eccentric load on the wall than already exists with the presence of the marquee. The marquee may already be filled with water depending on its drainage. It can be construed as a hanging swimming pool. A marquee can be considered a cantilever beam.

 When a marquee collapses, it can pull the entire front wall down with it, not just the area under the marquee.  Canopies are also a hazard. They are considered cantilever beams as well. They are constructed of light weight construction. They are never considered as a safe operating platform for firefighters.

 When a collapse is considered a possibility, firefighters can be posted, out of the collapse zone, to sight along the length of a wall to look for collapse indicators, i.e.: walls out of plumb, walls bowed outward, etc. A brick or concrete block wall is designed to be loaded in compression. If it is in compression, it should be straight. Once it starts to bow outward, it has little reserve strength.

 If a collapse is a possibility, respect the collapse zone. The sidewalk is always in the collapse zone. You cannot outrun the collapse. The only way to survive is to be outside the collapse zone. Use the reach of the hose stream. Consider flanking the building. Also, consider working in corner safe areas.

 The longer a fire is burning, the greater the damage to the structural members. As long as the fire is burning, the structural members that are resisting gravity in the building are being attacked. There is never a stalemate. A building that is on fire is a building that is under demolition.

D.C. Jay Jonas, Division 7