January 22, 2007

Job Safety

Dubai high rise fire highlights reality risks are greatest during construction

Suppression systems not inspected nor expected to function during build

IAN HARVEY and BRIAN BAKER

staff writers

TORONTO

The drama of a high rise fire halfway around the world in Dubai has brought home issues surrounding local fire services’ capabilities to deal with such events.

Up to 25 workers were injured in the tower under construction in Dubai and at least one man fell or jumped to his deaths as people scrambled to escape the flames and smoke.

While all buildings have fire alarm systems and fire suppression systems installed, they are most often vulnerable during construction, putting workers most at risk.

“From any fire service in Ontario’s perspective, we don’t have any authority for what type of protection is in place in a building under construction because it is not our jurisdiction.,” said Mike Strapko, acting district chief, Toronto Fire Department.

“The Ontario fire code becomes enforceable when the building is occupied.”

He said during the construction phase there’s no time to check the validity of the fire suppression systems.

“It’s always in a constant state of flux because construction sites are always working on it.”

While urban centres like Dubai and Toronto have state of the art equipment, nothing reaches the top of a modern skyscraper.

“I would feel very safe using our own hose, our own ladders and our own equipment, but our aerial ladders only reach up to the seventh floor,” he said. “So, if you are talking about a building that is 33 floors, you are going to have to haul the hose up the internal stairwell. Even the fire pumps for the standpipe system are usually installed late in the new construction, not earlier. Most firefighters would rely on their own equipment rather than new construction equipment because you don’t know what stage the construction’s pipes are at.”

The spectacular Dubai fire was at one of 79 towers in the Jumeirah Lake Towers district on Shaikh Zayed Road. The high rises, a mix of commercial and residential, range to 65 from 35 stories high with 2.4 million square feet of space.

Witnesses reported black smoke billowing out as workers clustered around the top floor waiving towels to attract attention to their plight. Rescue workers desperately tried to land a helicopter on the roof in an effort to reach the men, most of whom are imported labourers from southeast Asia.

The worst North American high rise firesa include One Meridian Plaza, a 38-floor Philadelphia building which burned for 18 hours Feb. 23 1991 after fire started on the 22nd floor and the First Interstate Bank Building, a 62-storey Los Angeles building, May 4, 1988.

WITH FILES FROM DCN WIRE SERVICES

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