Quincy, Massachusetts
A similar fire occurred in a big box store in Quincy, Massachusetts. This fire began at 8:23 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 1995, when 60 employees and 100 customers were in the store, which used a metal double-rack system throughout. As was the case in the Albany fire, investigators traced the fire's origin to the area containing oxidizing pool chemicals.
An investigation conducted by the Quincy Fire Department and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal's Office traced the area of fire origin to the lower storage rack of stored pool and spa chemicals. Investigators determined that the fire was probably caused by a chemical reaction involving the pool chemicals and leaking motor oil packaged with lawn mowers that were stored nearby. The fire also involved Group A plastics and other combustibles that gave off heavy smoke.
According to Chief Thomas Gorman of the Quincy Fire Department, several factors kept this fire from destroying the building. Perhaps most importantly, the fire department was involved during the store's planning stages. Before construction even began, the fire department had made sure that an adequate water supply was available for the store's sprinkler system by insisting on a 12-inch looped sprinkler main rather than the 6-inch main originally planned. "The fire probably would've overwhelmed the sprinkler system," Gorman says, "if we hadn't demanded some of these things."
The Quincy fire spread much like the fire in the Albany store, rapidly spreading through the rack of origin and into a rack across the aisle. Smoke developed so quickly that responding Quincy firefighters reported seeing heavy smoke as they approached the scene within two minutes of dispatch. Upon arrival, they reported that smoke was heavy throughout the building down to 5 feet off the ground. Noxious smoke that gathered thickly not just inside the building but in its parking lot, caused breathing problems for firefighters, 58 of whom were treated for minor smoke inhalation. Twenty-two sprinklers activated, and, with the help of firefighter hose lines, the blaze was contained.
Fire damage was limited to the rack of origin, two adjacent racks, and the roof. Direct fire damage was limited to approximately 1,000 square feet, but smoke damage was extensive throughout the store, and most of the stock was sold for salvage. No structural damage was noted, but the trusses and roof deck were heat damaged, and the store had to be closed for nine days due to smoke and chemical contamination. Damage was estimated at $4 million, and the fire alarm system was completely replaced following the fire.
Among the significant factors NFPA's fire investigators found contributing to the blaze were incompatible materials stored too near the oxidizers. Lack of in-rack sprinklers also played a role in fire growth, as did rack shelving of solid material and wooden slats that were placed too close to each other. Commodities stacked on pallets and wrapped tightly in plastic are also a consideration in any big box fire protection scheme, since the plastic on all four sides and the top can resist water penetration. Such encapsulated products were stored higher in this store than NFPA 231C allows without in-rack sprinklers. And stock items were stored in the aisles, which allowed the fire to spread across the aisle to adjacent racks.