Sofa Super Store Fire (Charleston

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Sofa Super Store Fire (Charleston FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATIVE REPORT Sofa Super Store 1807 Savannah Highway Charleston, South Carolina June 18, 2007 City of Charleston Post Incident Assessment and Review Team Phase II Report . This report was prepared by the City of Charleston Post Incident Assessment and Review Team and represents a consensus view of the team. J. Gordon Routley, Project Leader Michael D. Chiaramonte Brian A. Crawford Peter A. Piringer Kevin M. Roche Timothy E. Sendelbach May 15, 2008 . SOFA SUPER STORE FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATION REPORT Table of Contents Introduction.........................................................................................................6 Dedication ..........................................................................................................8 Bradford Rodney "Brad" Baity – Engineer 19...........................................8 Theodore Michael Benke – Captain 16 ......................................................9 Melvin Edward Champaign – Firefighter 16.............................................10 James "Earl" Allen Drayton – Firefighter 19............................................11 Michael Jonathon Alan French – Engineer 5...........................................12 William H. "Billy" Hutchinson, III – Captain 19........................................13 Mark Wesley Kelsey – Captain 5 ..............................................................14 Louis Mark Mulkey – Captain 15...............................................................15 Brandon Kenyon Thompson – Firefighter 5............................................16 Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................19 Sofa Super Store...............................................................................................25 Building Information.........................................................................................25 Building Description..................................................................................26 Building Permits ........................................................................................29 Fill-in Additions..........................................................................................31 Lack of Effective Fire Separations ...........................................................33 Exits ............................................................................................................34 Building Contents......................................................................................36 Inspection History .....................................................................................37 Summary of Fire Code and Building Code Compliance Issues.............38 Significant Building Construction Details ...............................................39 Void Spaces above Ceilings .....................................................................39 Holding Room ............................................................................................40 Façade and Parapet...................................................................................41 Roof Coverings ..........................................................................................42 Limited Access and Ventilation Openings ..............................................43 Site Arrangement.......................................................................................43 Public Water Supply and Hydrants ..........................................................44 Charleston Fire Department.............................................................................46 The Charleston Fire Department ..............................................................47 Mutual Aid ..................................................................................................49 Units by order of arrival: ...........................................................................51 Page 1 SOFA SUPER STORE FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATION REPORT Incident Chronology.........................................................................................52 Fire Discovery............................................................................................53 Initial Response .........................................................................................54 PHASE ONE OPERATIONS - 19:11 TO 19:18........................................................55 Offensive Strategy .....................................................................................55 Engine 10....................................................................................................56 Engine 11....................................................................................................56 Ladder 5......................................................................................................56 Engine 16....................................................................................................61 Engine 12....................................................................................................61 Fire Chief ....................................................................................................61 Engine 15....................................................................................................62 PHASE TWO OPERATIONS - 19:19 TO 19:25 .......................................................62 Engine 15....................................................................................................64 Engine 19....................................................................................................64 Engine 6......................................................................................................64 Operations inside the Showrooms...........................................................65 Fire Extension into Warehouse ................................................................66 PHASE THREE OPERATIONS - 19:26 TO 19:37.....................................................68 Trapped Employee Reported....................................................................68 Firefighters in Distress..............................................................................70 Reaction to Firefighters in Distress .........................................................74 Rescue Attempt .........................................................................................76 PHASE FOUR OPERATIONS – AFTER 19:38 ........................................................77 Defensive Strategy ....................................................................................77 Missing Firefighters...................................................................................79 Recovery Operations.................................................................................80 Locations of Deceased Firefighters .........................................................81 Page 2 SOFA SUPER STORE FIREFIGHTER FATALITY INVESTIGATION REPORT ANALYSIS..........................................................................................................83 Fire Analysis..................................................................................................84 Fire Origin...................................................................................................84 Fire Extension............................................................................................85 Conditions inside the Main Showroom....................................................86 Conditions inside the West Showroom ...................................................88 Interior Hose Lines ....................................................................................91 Path of Fire through the Showrooms.......................................................91 Fire Extension to Warehouse ...................................................................93 Analysis of Fire Department Operations ........................................................94 Incident Management....................................................................................95 Incident Commander .................................................................................95 Strategy ......................................................................................................97 Risk Management ......................................................................................99 Fire Fighting Tactics................................................................................102 Situational Awareness ............................................................................104 Pre-fire Plan..............................................................................................106 Communications......................................................................................111 Tactical Communications .......................................................................113 Mayday Communications........................................................................113 FIREFIGHTER SAFETY ...............................................................................117 Safety Officer ...........................................................................................117 Respiratory Protection ............................................................................117 Air Management Program .......................................................................120 Rapid Intervention Team.........................................................................121
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