Construction and renovation fires

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Fire backlights a renovation scaffold at Notre-Dame de Paris

Fires are common in buildings under construction and renovation, and present particular difficulties to firefighters.

During construction, buildings often do not have elements that would protect them from fire, such as walls and sprinkler systems.[1] Poor water supplies and the accumulation of flammable materials also present risks.[2] Works often require heat or even open flame, and these can set off fires that smoulder for hours before being noticed. For this reason, work sites may need 24-hour fire watches.[3]

Builder's risk insurance may cover damage from such fires.

Notable construction and renovation fires
Fire Date Probable cause Refs
Nantes Cathedral 1972 started in roof by worker with blowtorch. [4]
Montreal Biosphere 1976 started by worker with welding torch [5][circular reference]
Hotel Margaret, Brooklyn 1980 heater used by workers?[better source needed] [6]
Uppark, Sussex 1989 roof re-leading [7]
Windsor Castle 1992 spotlight on curtains [3]
Manhattan's Central Synagogue 1998 blowtorch used to install air conditioning on roof [8]
University of Kentucky Main Building 2001 thought to be welding torch used to repair guttering [9][10]
St. Catherine's Church, Gdańsk 2006 started in roof, short circuit of a tinkered cable [11]
Trinity Cathedral, Saint Petersburg 2006 originated in exterior scaffolding [12][13][14]
Cutty Sark 2007 industrial vacuum cleaner, AWOL firewatchers [15][16]
Universal Studios Hollywood 2008 started when worker used blowtorch to heat asphalt shingles [17]
Hôtel Lambert, Paris 2013 under investigation, started in roof [18][19]
Basilica of St. Donatian and St. Rogatian, Nantes 2015 started in roof [4]
Battersea Arts Centre, London 2015 under investigation, started in roof [20][21]
Mackintosh Building, Glasgow School of Art (2018) 2018 under investigation; lack of precautions after 2014 fire [22][3]
Notre-Dame de Paris 2019 under investigation [3]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Robertson, Homer (1 Jan 2011). "Fires in Buildings Under Construction". Fire Rescue Magazine.
  2. ^ U.S. Fire Administration (19 March 2019). "Fire prevention at buildings under renovation or construction". Coffee Break Bulletin.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Captain, Sean (15 April 2019). "Notre-Dame fire: Why historic restorations keep going up in flames". Fast Company.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Damgé, Mathilde; Dagorn, Gary; Durand, Anne-Aël (16 April 2019). "Nantes, Lunéville, Windsor... les derniers grands incendies de bâtiments historiques". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  5. ^ Montreal Biosphere#1976 fire
  6. ^ Tate, Francesca Norsen (7 February 2019). "Fire destroyed Hotel Margaret 39 years ago this week". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  7. ^ Glancey, Jonathan (8 April 1993). "High price of keeping up with 'heritage mania': The National Trust is". The Independent. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  8. ^ "3 years after fire, NYC Central Synagogue to reopen". The Jewish News. 14 September 2001.
  9. ^ "Administration Building Fire". UK Libraries. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  10. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20050318160646/http://www.uky.edu/PR/News/041025_main_bldg_history.htm
  11. ^ "Św. Katarzyna spłonęła przez "niefabrycznie reperowany przewód"?". trojmiasto.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  12. ^ (in Russian) Interfax > Politics Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ RIA Novosti - Russia - Restorers face long effort at Petersburg cathedral after fire
  14. ^ (in Russian) Интерфакс Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ London Fire Brigade; Metropolitan Police Service (29 September 2008). "Report on the investigation into the fire on board the clipper ship Cutty Sark, King William Walk, Greenwich, London SE10 on Monday 21st May 2007" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  16. ^ Justin, Davenport (30 September 2008). "Vacuum cleaner caused £10m Cutty Sark fire as guard slept". Evening Standard.
  17. ^ "Universal Studios fire sparked by blow torch". Reuters.com. June 2, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  18. ^ "Hôtel Lambert in Paris Is Damaged by Fire" "Fire at the hôtel Lambert in Paris destroys 17th-century frescoes", The New York Times, 12 July 2013.
  19. ^ "Paris mansion Hotel Lambert seriously damaged by fire". bbc.co.uk. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  20. ^ Jubb, David (14 March 2015). "Save Battersea Arts Centre". National Funding Scheme. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  21. ^ Walker, Peter; Quinn, Ben; Rawlinson, Kevin (13 March 2015). "Fire severely damages Battersea Arts Centre in London". The Guardian.
  22. ^ "Glasgow School of Art criticised over fire". 8 March 2019.


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