At 9 a.m. on May 18, 2023, under a cloudless sky and a 13 mph breeze, a 239-unit apartment complex caught fire while under construction in Charlotte’s SouthPark neighborhood. It took more than 200 firefighters nearly six hours to put out the fire. Two workers died.
“That was probably the largest fire in recent history, if not all the history, of the Charlotte Fire Department,” said CFD Chief Reginald Johnson.
The building consisted of a five-story wood-frame structure atop a two-story concrete garage. The follow-up investigation concluded the fire started in a mobile spray-foam trailer that was on the site – though the cause of the initial spark isn’t known.
The structure, part of the Modera Liberty Row complex, has since been rebuilt and was scheduled for occupancy sometime this spring.
But the tragedy two years ago is a textbook example of the fire hazard presented by buildings under construction or renovation.
According to the CFD, at the time of the fire, framing was essentially complete on all five of the residential floors, but wallboard had not yet been installed – much less the final plumbing and sprinkler system. There was nothing to impede the fire and it quickly took over the entire structure.
Research by the National Fire Protection Association indicates that the number of fires at construction sites across the country has been rising steadily for more than a decade. Between 2017 and 2021, there was an average of 4,440 such fires a year – 12 per day.
“These fires caused an annual average of five civilian deaths, 59 civilian injuries, and $370 million in direct property damage,” the report states.
Most construction fires (76%) occurred in residential structures like Modera Liberty Row. The items most frequently found to have ignited first are:
- Cooking equipment, accounting for 12% of fires but causing just 1% of direct property damage.
- Structural framing, accounting for 10% of fires and causing the most property damage by far, at 28% of the total.
- Combustible liquids and gases, accounting for 6% of fires and the largest share – at 20% – of civilian (non-firefighter) injuries.
The list of actual causes of construction fires looks a bit different:
- Cooking equipment was found to have caused 19% of fires, 19% of civilian injuries and 4% of property damage.
- Electrical distribution and lighting equipment caused 15% of fires, 12% of injuries and 46% of damage.
- Heating equipment caused 14% of fires, 39% of injuries and 7% of damage.
- Arson was attributed to 8% of fires, causing 10% of injuries and 45% of damage.
- Smoking materials caused 2% of fires, 1% of injuries and 1% of damage.
Other relevant findings from the NFPA study include:
- 11% of fires occurred in January, while 7-9% occurred in each of the other months without any apparent seasonal pattern.
- 31% of fires started between noon and 6 p.m.; 28% started between 6 p.m. and midnight; 23% started between 6 a.m. and noon; while 15% started between midnight and 6 a.m.
- Predictably, daytime fires caused more injuries, while fires occurring between midnight and 6 a.m. accounted for 51% of total property damage.
Other factors contributing to the ignition or spread of fires included:
- Combustible materials too close to heat sources.
- Abandoned or discarded materials in the path of the fire.
- Electrical failures or malfunctions.
- Misuse of off-label use of construction materials.
- Conducting hot work too close to combustible materials.
- Mechanical failure or malfunction of equipment.
Here are suggestions from NFPA, OSHA and several other sources to reduce the risk of job site fires:
- No smoking.
- Ensure that temporary electrical service and lighting follow installation requirements set forth in NFPA 70 National Electrical Code.
- Maintain and inspect electrical equipment regularly.
- Minimize use of extension wiring, and don’t overload available circuits with machinery and equipment.
- Prohibit open fires and temporary cooking equipment such as hot plates and grills.
- Provide extinguishers and make certain they are the correct type for the hazard.
- Ensure that temporary heaters are kept at safe distances from combustible and flammable materials; can’t be overturned easily; are used in conformity with their listing and manufacturer instructions; and are checked regularly for safe operation. Don’t allow personnel to bring their own heaters – including those who work in construction offices or trailers.
- Get rid of waste materials promptly and empty trash receptacles regularly.
- Keep floors clear of obstructions and debris – not just to reduce risk but to reduce trip hazards for first responders in the case of a fire.
- Require a permit system for hot work activities and enforce a minimum 30-minute cool-down interval after torches, burners or soldering irons have been used.
- Reduce the risk of arson by safeguarding construction sites with fencing, after-hours lighting and security personnel as needed.
- Appoint a fire prevention program manager to be responsible for creating the required OSHA fire safety plan.
- Communicate and discuss the fire safety plan regularly with all personnel on the job site.
Best Supply has a full range of PPE and job site safety products, which we can deliver to the job site with your materials for takeoff. Request a quote here.