Sprinklered Records Storage Facility (Chicago, Illinois - October 29, 1996)

On Tuesday October 29, 1996, a still alarm was sounded for a fire in an automatic sprinkler protected records archive building shortly before 2 p.m. Before the fire was declared under control nearly ten hours later, it had reached the fourth alarm level with a commitment of 17 engines, 9 trucks and tower ladders, a squad and several additional special pieces of equipment. The last fire company left the scene about 5 p.m. on November 7, 1996 and a full box alarm assignment was involved in overhaul operations for over 24 hours after the fire.

» Overview
» Key Issues
» Fire Department
» Building Description
» The Fire
» Recovery and Salvage Operations
» Analysis
» Building Codes
» Lessons Learned

Reproduced from Report 106 of the Major Fires Investigation Project conducted by Varley-Campbell and Associates, Inc./TriData Corporation under contract EMW-94-4423 to the United Sates Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency. Investigated by: Thomas H. Miller, P.E.

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