Welding starts Fire: WIND Spreads the Problem

Fire chars apartments
Majority of building severely damaged
Robert Rogers, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun
Article Launched:01/03/2007 12:00:00 AM PST

GRAND TERRACE - A two-story apartment building was gutted by a blaze Tuesday afternoon, displacing at least 27 residents.

Officials said the fire at the Crest Apartments at 22491 De Berry St., reported at 12:16 p.m., caused significant damage to 12 of 16 units.

"What appears to have happened was that someone on the maintenance crew was welding a pipe in one of the apartments," said San Bernardino County fire spokesman Steve Hansen. "The pipe got hot and ignited something in the attic."

The four-alarm blaze drew 90 firefighters from seven agencies, Hansen said. It took firefighters, who were hindered by high winds that fed the flames, more than three hours to completely control the blaze, Hansen said.

No residents were injured, but one firefighter suffered an ankle sprain and had to be helped from inside the building by other firefighters.

At least four second-floor units were visibly charred, with blackened walls and furniture exposed through blown-out windows. Hansen said some of the 12 affected units sustained significant smoke and water damage.

The four undamaged units were also evacuated, but those residents may soon be allowed to return, Hansen said.

Twelve of the households will be moved to units that were vacant at the Crest Apartments. The other four have been provided vouchers for local hotels by the Inland Empire Red Cross, Hansen said.

A woman identified at the scene by residents as the manager of the Crest Apartments declined to comment.

Red Cross officials set up a reception site for displaced residents across the street at Terrace Hills Middle School.

The fire reached its peak around 1 p.m., blowing flames out of ragged holes in the roof and some apartment windows.

Firefighters who battled the flames inside emerged from the inferno, removed oxygen masks and slumped on the curb gulping fresh air, their yellow fire suits blackened with soot.

Scattered residents milled about the scene, many hoping that their precious belongings would be spared.

"Oh God, I just hope my baby photos of my son make it, but I doubt it," said Brent Black, 25, looking up at the charred remnants of his couch, visible from his shattered second-story window.

Black said he was at a hospital in Fontana when his wife called to say a maintenance worker had frantically alerted her to flee the building because of the fire. Black returned, but it was too late to go inside for valuables.

About two hours later, with the fire knocked down, firefighters brought out a stack of framed pictures of Black, his wife and his 10-month-old son.

Black clutched the wet, soot-covered photos in his folded arms.

"I'm just blessed that everyone is safe," Black said.

Gramps Adds: WHEN SPARKS FLY

I have said frequently Safety is an Action. Here we have a compound event that could have been avoided if Safety was a Focus.

First. Welding causes sparks. WHEN Sparks are Wind Driven.. You have a Fire Storm

Second: Welding causes Heat. When Welding around other combustible materials including pipes near electrical wires, the Welder should mitigate the damage of the welding heat to the surrounding materials. One should assume there will be a fire, and be prepared with hoses and extinguishers on site before the first spark flies or the welding starts. EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO WIND, Expect a Fire to Start.

Third: Welding, on a Day when the winds are blowing should not be done. EVEN IF the welding is being done inside where there is no wind, the fire that is started won't be contained to a small area.

Welding should not be allowed during Red Flag Days out side of the Industrial situation where there are no combustibles around to catch if the sparks are contained to the building.

Safety Is an Action... For those who have been displace or lost their possessions lets help fill the void. If there is a specific need let us know... We can share our abundance with those who have lost everything all at one time. These folks have a major do over on their hands.

Question: Was the Repair Job being done with a Permit? Was the Welder a Business that is Licensed to do business in Grand Terrace? Will the Welder or the Apartment Owner be required to right the situation with the residents? Were the residents aware that welding was being done in the building during a Red Flag Day?

Perhaps, the City needs a No Welding, No Off Roading, No Fireworks, or Wood burning on Red Flag Day Ordinance that places the financial burden on the owner of the property who ordered the work, and the Business doing the work to pay for all costs related to a fire started on a Red Flag Day, as they should be accountable for not waiting for the wind storm to pass. A work delay of a few days could have saved many personal possessions and interrupted fewers people's lives, and so forth.

Risk Benefit Factors. In this case the Risk was not rewarded. People not in the decision making process should not suffer the loss caused by the Owner of the Business and the Welder's taking the risk of Welding on a Red Flag Day.

Welding often starts fires. Welding on a Red Flag Day, well it isn't arson, but it is perhaps beyond reasonable caution, or putting persons and property at a risk that is past reasonable. I think this is worthy of some thought.