Truss construction buildings mean danger for firefighters

LYNN – The Charleston, S.C. furniture warehouse that caught fire and collapsed, killing nine firefighters Monday was designed with a bolstered truss roof that can easily collapse when any of its supports are weakened, Lynn Fire Chief Edward Higgins Jr. said.The building that failed had no sprinkler system, creating a set of circumstances far less likely in Massachusetts where fire codes are stricter.”It’s every firefighter’s nightmare,” said Higgins. “When you have bolstered trusses, like you might in a bowling alley or a supermarket, the trusses are under tension at all times. If any one part fails, the entire truss roof can fail.”The chief said such structures, no matter whether the trusses are made of wood or metal, are known for their vulnerability. “Once the fire gets inside, it can go through them very quickly,” he said, explaining that building facades often disguise the trussed roof that lay behind it. “Sometimes, it’s tough to tell what kind of construction you are dealing with. Even in a big grocery store, there might be a false ceiling. Some grocery stores have heavy beams, but some don’t.”Although no firm decision had been made Tuesday, it appeared an unofficial delegation of Lynn firefighters was bound for Charleston to pay respect, the chief said.”There’s a good possibility some of our guys will be going down there,” he said.Coincidentally, on the day before the tragedy in Charleston, public safety officials in Boston marked the 35th anniversary of the famous Hotel Vendome fire, which on June 17, 1972 killed nine firefighters. The hotel collapse that also left 16 civilians dead has remained the worst tragedy in terms of firefighters lost in the history of the Boston Fire Department.No civilians were killed in the Charleston fire. Two employees in the building were rescued from the blaze, which broke out at about 7 p.m. Monday in the Sofa Super Store and warehouse. One was rescued quickly, and firefighters punched a hole through a wall of the warehouse to reach the other.The nine deaths marks the nation’s deadliest single disaster for firefighters since the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Firefighters, police officers and other rescue workers saluted as the firefighters’ bodies were carried from the warehouse during the night.