Fast Moving Three Alarm Fire In Midtown Manhattan
High-Rise Offers Important Safety Message
FDNY Insider 2/10/09
When firefighters arrived at 501 Madison Ave. in Manhattan on Feb. 9, they saw some smoke, but no visible fire.
The fire was reported at 22:29 hours on the second floor of the 200 x 200, 30-story high-rise building that is under construction at 53rd Street. The first units arrived at 22:32 hours, issued a 10-76, and began to stretch lines and hook up to standpipes inside the building for an interior attack.
Eight minutes later, fire was blowing out 33 windows.
The fire was fed by plastic, plywood shanties, light bulbs and other combustibles. Five acetylene tanks also burned. The fire consumed the second floor and extended to the third, with minor extension to the fourth and fifth floors in the core area.
Firefighters were removed from the building and began an exterior attack. They had to gain control quickly, so the fire did not spread to other floors or exposure 4.
Three tower ladders were used (four were set up) it took approximately 15 minutes to control the fire, which grew to three alarms before it was placed under control at 02:00 hours.
After the fire was placed under control, firefighters began searching the upper floors, which were filled with smoke and carbon dioxide. The tie rod of the construction elevator - the building’s only working elevator - was damaged by fire, so the building was “essentially a 30-story walk up,” said Deputy Chief Dan Donohue.
Yet since they knew there were no victims, firefighters made a slow and deliberate search of each floor. They set up fans and were able to clear the building once they made it to the roof they were able to clear the building.
Chief Donohue noted the fire offers a safety message.
“Units in the interior may not always be aware of the severity of the conditions,” he said. “And conditions can change incredibly fast.”
They faced open stairwells, open elevator shafts and large amounts of construction materials, all of which presented additional hazards.
He said firefighters never would have been sent into the building if they had known the severity of the conditions, but was pleased with the organization and communication that allowed everyone to be removed safely.
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