Assignmen

t2
Fse 380

Alan meadors
Alan Meadors Fse 380 Greg Gorbett case#1, 1/30/2001

Issue
A fire occurred in a residential occupancy. The occupants were awoken by the fire
alarm. As the two adults exited the structure they recall seeing a smoke layer banked down to
approximately 4 ft. above the floor throughout the living room along with the sound of breaking glass.
The two adults exited through the rear master bedroom door and called the fire department.

The firefighters who arrived first on scene observed flames coming out of the window
located on the north side of the structure just to the right of the front entrance.

Reason
Client wants to determine the area of origin and possible interested parties to put on
notice.

Potential Ignition sources:

Candles, Christmas decorations, outlets, careless smoking

Report
The greatest amount of damage to the structure is in the piano room located to the
north west of the front entrance. Starting at the south wall there is shadowing in the center were it
appears that a picture frame once was located. There is however concentrated soot deposition in this
area indicating that the area was not totally protected. To the west of the soot deposition mentioned
there is clean burn, calcination, and lines of demarcation within the south west corner above the
location of a two person couch extending from the floor to the ceiling. The clean burn however only
reaches the floor within an area that is about 2 ft from the south wall the base boards two feet away
from the wall were consumed. Indicating that there was a fuel package within that area resting on the
floor or placed within that location (figure2499). However there are no photos to show any such
package indicating that it was consumed. Interviewing with the occupants stated that there once was a
wooden wicker basket that held blankets within this corner. On the west wall in the south corner shows
clean burn connecting to the piano at approx. 5ft away from the corner. This indicates that the fire was
in contact with the piano starting at a low point as it is restricted to progress by the side of the piano.
This impingement of heat to the piano ignited the left side and began to radiate heat back to the corner.
This creates a conical flame plume within the corner that grows in height quickly as the flame is blocked
on three sides to diffuse more O2.

In the center of the west wall were the piano is located there is shadowing just above the piano.
It appears that there once was a picture frame within this area but fell during the progression of the fire
creating some calcination. This frame was at one point between two fire plumes as there are lines of
demarcation on both sides creating a bell curve shape around the frames area (Figure 1810). Damage to
the piano originates in the south west corner and progresses to the North West corner (Figure 1814).
The charring is noticeably more severe on the left than the right; no depths of char measurements were
produced for the production of this report.

In the North West corner were the Christmas tree was located the fire effects are similar to the
south west corner. They differ in that the base boards are damaged but still intact throughout the length
of the wall. They did receive heavy charring but the mass loss to them is not as great as the south west

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Alan Meadors Fse 380 Greg Gorbett case#1, 1/30/2001

wall. Also the ventilation to tree is located below the height of the ceiling creating a lower plume as
compared to the plume generated in the south west (Figure 1810).

Pictures of the north east and south west walls were not provided.

Two sources of ventilation to this compartment played a role in the progression of the fire. The
initial ventilation source is the cathedral ceiling and low walls that leave an opening to the other rooms
(figure A). This opening allowed the fire to continue to receive O2 unrestricted by upper layer growth ,
as the upper layer followed the path of least resistance out of the area of origin. The adequate
ventilation quickly deposited soot throughout the house. As the plume continued to grow within the
compartment the second ventilation source; the window located in the north east corner of the piano
room was broken by the ignition and heat release of the Christmas tree supplying the plume with O2
and increasing upper layer growth. (Figure B).

A standard Christmas tree that weighs 21lbs has a heat release rate of 2,000 KW/s at its peak.1*
Coupled with the radiant flux within the compartment the front window breaking within the early stages
of the fire as described by occupants .

A sofa has a peak heat release rate of 3,000 KW/s. When analyzing the circumstances
surrounding the couch such as the availability of air and the location within the compartment it is likely
that the sofa reached its peak heat release rate. If the open ceiling layout had not been implemented in
to the construction of the room it is likely that the room would have reached full room involvement.
The couch underwent significant mass loss, and oxidation to the metal support. The greatest damage to
the couch is on the right side and decreases to the left. The couch is located in the same area as the
clean burn that leads to the living room over the wall. This information further shows that the origin of
the fire is located within the south west corner. (Figure C).

The piano located on the west wall received charring left to right receiving most of the damage
from to the side nearest the couch (Figure F). With that in mind, there was a Christmas tree located in
the North West corner. If the Christmas tree had been the area of origin then the expected damage to
the piano would be right to left as there was sufficient ventilation during the growth stage.

The area of origin is in the south west corner of the piano room. This is apparent after the
analysis of the ventilation, damage and direction of damage throughout the compartment. The cause of
this fire originates within the outlet that is closest to the couch. There is mass loss to the base boards
within the area of origin along with isolated damage to the outlet itself (Figure F/ G).

Conclusion
After the systematic analysis of the damage to the structure as defined in NFPA 921 it is
apparent that the area of origin is the south east corner of the piano room. Evidence to support this
comes from the distribution of damage, charring, calcination, mass loss and the analysis of patterns and
ventilation.

The cause is undetermined due to the lack of evidence as to the circumstances

conditions and agencies that brought the fuel heat and oxidizer together that is required by NFPA 921.

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Alan Meadors Fse 380 Greg Gorbett case#1, 1/30/2001

Request
1. A qualified electrical engineer to interpret the outlets and wiring of the structure as
there was severe damage to multiple outlets.
2. To receive the breaker box to look for proper function.
3. Also to two wicker baskets with blankets to burn next to base board trim within the
conditions of the compartment, and one to burn with no surrounding barriers.

Work Sited
NFPA 921 (2000)
1* (Data from; figure 9.31 Fire Dynamics 2011 Greg Gorbett. Derived from Klote, j. and
Mike, j. 20020).

2* (Data from; table 9.1 Fire Dynamics 2011 Greg Gorbett; Derived from: Karlsson and
Quintiere1999)

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Alan Meadors Fse 380 Greg Gorbett case#1, 1/30/2001

Appendex

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

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Alan Meadors Fse 380 Greg Gorbett case#1, 1/30/2001

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

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Alan Meadors Fse 380 Greg Gorbett case#1, 1/30/2001

Figure G

figure2499

Figure 1810

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Alan Meadors Fse 380 Greg Gorbett case#1, 1/30/2001

Figure 1814

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