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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2017
A high-rise fire in Hawaii kills three people on July 14, 2017, and is deemed to be the worst high- rise building fire in Hawaii. The building is a 36 story reinforced concrete building with 572 units, and was built in 1971.
The recent fire at a high rise condominium building Marco Polo in Hawaii should be a wake-up call to all property managers, condo Boards and owners of commercial property throughout the nation.
Thousands of apartment buildings and condo buildings that were built in the 1960’s and 1970’s throughout the United States do not have a fire sprinkler system. To add a fire sprinkler system is costly as it requires mechanical engineering plans and specs, a dedicated water line, a separate water meter, and the cost of actual installation inside each unit and various common areas of the building.
But one cannot put a value on someone’s life.
Older buildings may not have the proper building construction for life safety as building codes change (and mandate stricter requirements) every three years. Some of these design and construction building components would include fire walls, fire doors, fire stops and proper sealant at floor, ceiling and wall penetrations. These penetrations are holes in the floors and ceiling where plumbing pipes and electrical conduits run through. If there is a fire, the holes in the walls, floors and ceilings would allow smoke and flames to spread.
It is prudent for building owners, condo owners and managers to check smoke detectors monthly. And in townhouse buildings where there are attic spaces, each space above each unit should be separated with a properly rated firewall, and the open areas of framing and drywall joints should be sealed with properly rated material.
Back in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the municipal building codes may not have required fire sprinklers or firewalls and firestops. It is prudent for each jurisdiction in the US to now pass an ordinance requiring fire sprinklers on all older buildings that are currently exempt due to their age and cutoff period.
Concrete spalling and corroded railing conditions are a life safety concern. A similar life safety concern is a building that does not have a fire sprinkler system.
A fire sprinkler may not prevent a fire, but sprinklers have proven to limit the spread of fire.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and fire inspectors throughout the US support the installation of fire sprinklers in older buildings.
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By: Lance Luke, National Building Expert
Best Selling Author
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Release ID: 218309