Manufacturing Mill Fire (Methuen, MA - December 1995) » Fire Protection Systems

Most of the buildings in the complex were protected by wet pipe automatic sprinklers and standpipe systems and the larger buildings had multiple sprinkler systems covering different zones. The waterflow and manual alarms were connected to the Methuen fire alarm box system via an auxiliary circuit and were also monitored at an annunciator panel in the main guard station.

Water for the fire protection systems in the complex came from two separate sources. The sprinkler and standpipe systems in the Monomac, Process and Acadia Buildings and the yard hydrants surrounding these buildings were supplied by an on-site fire protection system. The sprinkler systems in the Main Building and the Dye House were connected to the City of Methuen municipal water system, while hose stations in the north and south stairwells were connected to the on-site system. There was no fire pump supporting the municipal water supply and there were no fire department connections that would have allowed for additional water supply to be provided to any of these systems from fire department pumpers.

From on-site inspections and familiarization tours, the fire department knew that the sprinkler system in the Monomac, Process and Acadia Mill buildings and the yard hydrants were all interconnected, with no fire department connections on any buildings. If the sprinkler system in any one building was overpowered, then the sprinklers in the other two buildings would be crippled from the lack of water and the yard hydrant system would be similarly destroyed.

The on-site fire protection system was supplied by a 2000 gpm electric fire pump and a 2000 gpm diesel powered backup pump which both drew water from the river. Both pumps could operate simultaneously to supply a rated capacity of 4000 gallons per minute to the fire protection systems. A 750 gpm jockey pump was set to maintain a static pressure of 120 psi in this system. A 14" main delivered water from the pump house to the alley between the Monomac and Process buildings. A 10" main was buried to the west of the Monomac and Acadia buildings, parallel to the river, and the loop was completed by a 6" main.

The 14" main in the alley between the Monomac and Process buildings supplied water to the sprinklers in both buildings3. Each building had four 6" sprinkler risers which could be shut-off by underground valves located about 10 feet outside the exterior walls. Each riser supplied the sprinklers in an area of the first floor and the corresponding area on the upper floors. The individual zones were controlled by separate supervised OS&Y valves. The sprinkler lines in some unheated areas on the west side of the Monomac Building were filled with antifreeze sections. Hose stations were located in the stairways at each floor level.

The municipal water supply for the complex came from two connections to a 12" main under Broadway Street to the east of the complex. A 14" main entered the complex at Chase Street and a 6" line entered at Stafford Street. These lines supplied the water for the sprinklers in the Main Building and the Dye House. There was reported to be an interconnection between the municipal water system and the on-site fire protection system, however the manually operated valve between the two systems was normally closed. This valve, located at the southeast corner of the Main Building, was not known to the Fire Department and was not opened during the fire.

There was also a closed connection between the Methuen and Lawrence municipal water systems. At one time each city provided water for the buildings within their respective municipalities. A more recent agreement between the property owner and the two cities called for Methuen to provide the public water supply for the entire complex. A street valve between the two systems was normally kept closed because they operated at different pressures; a static pressure of about 65 psi was normally maintained in the Lawrence system, while the Methuen system was maintained at about 110 psi.

During the fire investigation another underground line and valve were discovered, connecting the Malden Mills fire protection system to the fire protection system in an adjoining property, which was once part of the same complex. If this valve had been opened, it could have delivered approximately 4000 gpm capacity from a second pumping station into the Malden Mills system.

The precise age and design of the fire protection systems is unknown, since the records and engineering drawings were destroyed in the fire. Changing technology and production methods along with building renovations and additions over the years necessitated many changes in the fire protection systems. Additional protection was provided for high hazard process areas within the complex, including the hopper room where the explosion is believed to have originated. The property owners were reported to have made ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade the systems and to keep up with state of the art in fire protection for their thriving business. The Methuen Fire Department backed and supported these efforts.

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