USE CAUTION: Giant Fire at Walmart Distro Center in Plainfield

[Dean C.]

I cannot help but wonder how much this cost to go up in flames , also very glad it appears no one was hurt.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Question: why did we put so many resources into trying to put it out?

 

[jbombelli]

Question: why did we put so many resources into trying to put it out?

My guess is to try to get it under control before it jumps to other buildings. Although if it was me, I'd have been watering the roofs of the other buildings, since that one was sure to be a total loss.

Just an uneducated guess.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Im sure they were hoping to get it under control before it took the whole building. I doubt they expected this result. I think this is the first warehouse fire of its type around here.

Though Now I wonder what changes are coming due to this fire? Requirement for more water on site? More aggressive fire suppression equipment? Because obviously the sprinklers didnt help. (beyond slowing it enough at first to get everyone out)

 

[chipbennett]

Im sure they were hoping to get it under control before it took the whole building. I doubt they expected this result. I think this is the first warehouse fire of its type around here.

Though Now I wonder what changes are coming due to this fire? Requirement for more water on site? More aggressive fire suppression equipment? Because obviously the sprinklers didnt help. (beyond slowing it enough at first to get everyone out)

I suspect, in that type of building, fire suppression is primarily, if not exclusively, intended to allow for personnel egress.

Protection of goods/equipment would likely entail a foam suppression system, or even an inert gas/CO2 system.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I suspect, in that type of building, fire suppression is primarily, if not exclusively, intended to allow for personnel egress.

Protection of goods/equipment would likely entail a foam suppression system, or even an inert gas/CO2 system.

Too big for a gas/clean agent system. Those are only good for small-ish spaces.

I need to ask my buddies at work to calculate how much gas would be required for a million square feet of 3 story warehouse. The sheer size would be humorous. (thats roughly 30 million cubic feet of space in that warehouse)

 

[KittySlayer]

I suspect, in that type of building, fire suppression is primarily, if not exclusively, intended to allow for personnel egress.

Protection of goods/equipment would likely entail a foam suppression system, or even an inert gas/CO2 system.

Protection of goods? Low value goods that likely would cost more to ship and stock in store to sell as “damaged” clearance items.

Protection of equipment? They are not manufacturing so probably no expensive machinery. Lots of shelving, conveyors, forklifts all relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things. Any electronics like computers, hand held scanners, etc. that might survive the fire would be destroyed by the fire suppression method.

 

[worddoer]

Update

Officials say fire now out, as ATF begins on-site investigation into Plainfield warehouse fire

By fire crew standards, the fire at the Walmart fulfillment center is out. Now, the ATF's national response team is investigating its cause.

www.wthr.com

Watched the press conference they had.

I did not realize that ATF was tasked with investigating arson. I wonder if they have strong suspicions that this was arson.

If I understand this correctly, they said the fire suppression system where the fire started was turned off. Big screw up or intentional....I guess we will see.

Walmart distribution center fire transitions from suppressing to investigating

Two days after a massive fire broke out at a Walmart distribution center, firefighters are starting to transition from fighting the fire to figuring out how it started.

www.wane.com

 

[Hatin Since 87]

Watched the press conference they had.

I did not realize that ATF was tasked with investigating arson. I wonder if they have strong suspicions that this was arson.

If I understand this correctly, they said the fire suppression system where the fire started was turned off. Big screw up or intentional....I guess we will see.

Walmart distribution center fire transitions from suppressing to investigating

Two days after a massive fire broke out at a Walmart distribution center, firefighters are starting to transition from fighting the fire to figuring out how it started.

www.wane.com

Alcohol, tobacco, and fires?


Who the hell gave the ATF the power to investigate arsons? We have so many 3 letter agencies, and the ATF is tasked with arson?

Don’t get me wrong, if they’re busy investigating this then they’re not ****ing with us, but the point is giving them power and expanding their duties is only going to result in a bigger more restrictive agency. See: FBI

 

[Cameramonkey]

I spoke with the spouse of a firefighter today that was in there fighting it, and who had a hand in the fire inspections during construction phase. Expect some serious questions to be asked in the coming months. Hopefully resulting in safer warehouses as we move forward. (but warehousers wont be happy)

 

[Keith_Indy]

Good question, here’s the answer… learn something new every day.

Arson: The Business of ATF | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

A brief history of how ATF got into the arson business. ATF's early arson jurisdiction is embedded within explosives legislation dictated by two critical Acts: the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Explosive Control Act of 1970. The Gun Control Act of 1968 not only dictated firearms laws, but also...

www.atf.gov

Congress continued to provide ATF with additional tools for arson prosecution. In 1982, the Anti-Arson Act amended the explosives laws, specifically criminalizing the use of fire to commit any federal felony. The Act made it unlawful to damage or destroy, by fire, any property used in activities affecting interstate commerce.

 

[Hatin Since 87]

Good question, here’s the answer… learn something new every day.

Arson: The Business of ATF | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

A brief history of how ATF got into the arson business. ATF's early arson jurisdiction is embedded within explosives legislation dictated by two critical Acts: the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Explosive Control Act of 1970. The Gun Control Act of 1968 not only dictated firearms laws, but also...

www.atf.gov

Interesting. 1982, and this is the first I’ve noticed them being involved in an arson investigation. Might’ve seen it before but it sure didn’t stand out if I have.



I’m assuming they’re done investigating and have charged people from all those riot fires set then.

 

[Twangbanger]

Interesting. 1982, and this is the first I’ve noticed them being involved in an arson investigation. Might’ve seen it before but it sure didn’t stand out if I have.



I’m assuming they’re done investigating and have charged people from all those riot fires set then.

They didn't "cross state lines!!!"

 

[jwamplerusa]

Good question, here’s the answer… learn something new every day.

Arson: The Business of ATF | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

A brief history of how ATF got into the arson business. ATF's early arson jurisdiction is embedded within explosives legislation dictated by two critical Acts: the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Explosive Control Act of 1970. The Gun Control Act of 1968 not only dictated firearms laws, but also...

www.atf.gov

This s*** really needs cut way back! "any property used in activities affecting interstate commerce", really!?

Way to much central state.

 

[ancjr]

Did the fire cross state lines?

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Watched the press conference they had.

I did not realize that ATF was tasked with investigating arson. I wonder if they have strong suspicions that this was arson.

If I understand this correctly, they said the fire suppression system where the fire started was turned off. Big screw up or intentional....I guess we will see.

Walmart distribution center fire transitions from suppressing to investigating

Two days after a massive fire broke out at a Walmart distribution center, firefighters are starting to transition from fighting the fire to figuring out how it started.

www.wane.com

From this article it was intentional.

Firefighters turned off part of sprinkler system at Plainfield Walmart fulfillment center

Plainfield Fire Department Chief Brent Anderson said the fire suppression system at the facility was working correctly at the time firefighters arrived.

www.wthr.com

 

[Cameramonkey]

Having friends on the inside, I'll caution the armchair quarterbacks.

In many of the stories I'm reading, the full story isnt being told. In this case, notice they didnt say WHY the system was turned off. Red flag.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Having friends on the inside, I'll caution the armchair quarterbacks.

In many of the stories I'm reading, the full story isnt being told. In this case, notice they didnt say WHY the system was turned off. Red flag.

No armchair quarterbacking. The chief said he'd explain more later. Although I could see valid reasons for doing so. Including that where the fire started was fully engulfed so they killed the sprinklers there to divert more water elsewhere in an attempt to contain the spread. I'm not saying that is why they did it, but it seems logical to me.

 

[Cameramonkey]

No armchair quarterbacking. The chief said he'd explain more later. Although I could see valid reasons for doing so. Including that where the fire started was fully engulfed so they killed the sprinklers there to divert more water elsewhere in an attempt to contain the spread. I'm not saying that is why they did it, but it seems logical to me.

Just in general to all. Sorry, not pointing directly at you.

And what we didnt see on the news were the guys INSIDE. Literally. They werent just standing outside throwing water on it from above. They had lines inside too. And I guess it got pretty hairy a couple times.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Just in general to all. Sorry, not pointing directly at you.

And what we didnt see on the news were the guys INSIDE. Literally. They werent just standing outside throwing water on it from above. They had lines inside too. And I guess it got pretty hairy a couple times.

Agreed, and absolutely no offense taken.