Main Structure Collapse & Complete Building Loss
These real fire case studies clearly illustrate that regardless of the fire performance of materials used in the construction of buildings, in the event of a major catastrophic fire occurring the structure will collapse causing property and business loss.
Therefore contents fire load risk and property/business protection can only be realistically prevented by adopting a holistic fire engineered approach to building design, construction and management of fire safety.
Panasonic, Newport
Steel frame and site assembled mineral fibre roof and wall system. Structural failure leading to total building and contents loss.
Boots, Nottingham
Steel frame supporting polyurethane roof and wall panels. Severe fire resulting from ignition of flammable aerosol containers.
Fiege, Italy
Concrete frame - roof structure and metal clad wall. Structural failure leading to total building and contents loss (5th & 6th Image).
Risks
- Process, contents and fire load hazard.
- Flashover point 600°C.
- Main structure stability is threatened at 500/600°C.
- Property loss, contents and business/interruption losses.
- Fire crew safety.
Insurer Approved Protection
- Fire risk assessment may indicate the need for Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) and Factory Mutual (FM) property protection approved sprinklers to suppress the fire at source.
- Eliminates the risk of main structure failure and collapse.
- Eliminates total property, contents and business interruption losses.
- Eliminates fire crew risk.
Fire Risk Assessment Priorities
Structural Integrity of the Building Framework
- If unprotected from the impact of fire the main structure stability is threatened at 500°C to 600°C followed by collapse.
- Should the degree of fire hazard threaten the building structure’s integrity, the best way to protect the insured value of the business, contents and property is to prevent the fire occurring or to suppress it with property protection sprinklers.
- Main structure building collapse has the greatest effect on the property, business losses, interruption and the safety of fire crews.
- Parts L2 and J Building Regulations now require higher levels of thermal insulation which in the event of a fire accelerate heat/temperature build up, therefore making the main structure more vulnerable to earlier collapse.