After 11 months, origin of blaze still not knownReport documents discarded 'smoking materials' at loading dock, but can't pinpoint specific cause By Tony Bartelme (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Friday, May 16, 2008
Sometime before 7 p.m. on June 18, 2007, someone discarded "smoking materials" outside the Sofa Super Store's loading dock, the city's fire experts found. But 11 months after the deadly fire, investigators still haven't said whether they have answers to basic questions about the fire's origin: Did a cigarette start the fire, or some other "smoking material?" And who caused that first spark? While the city's 272-page report sheds little light on the fire's cause, it did reveal that employees regularly smoked in the area by the loading dock, even though it was crowded with flammable packing materials and solvents. The area was such a tinder box that federal investigators estimated that flames around the loading dock released the equivalent of 50 to 125 megawatts. That's enough energy to temporarily run 50,000 to 125,000 homes. The panel concluded: "The fire would not have occurred if the combustible materials had not been stored in proximity to a smoking area or if smoking had been prohibited in that area." Related storiesReport: Fire Department's culture, store's code violations created time bomb The panel also said that a passerby, not an employee, first observed smoke near the loading dock and called 911. The report didn't identify the person but did say that he or she immediately went into the store to warn employees. In another revelation, the panel said an unidentified employee then grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the fire. He emptied the extinguisher and went back to the showroom to get another one. By the time he returned a minute later, heavy smoke filled the area. Jonathan Tyrrell, a furniture repairman, was in another part of the building at the time. On Thursday, he said he was surprised to hear that an employee fought off the fire with an extinguisher. "While they were doing that, I had no idea what was going on." The fire trapped Tyrrell, who pounded on a wall to alert rescuers. Firefighters reached him just in time. Tyrrell still works for Sofa Super Store, and said employees smoked cigarettes on the loading dock all the time, and that investigators pressed him about whether he smoked. "I told them I never smoked in my life." Investigators with the State Law Enforcement Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also investigated the fire but have released few details about the cause. Asked Thursday why SLED investigators have taken so long, Special Agent Bobbie Schlatterer had no answer. Though the city's report doesn't fully address the fire's cause, experts say discarded cigarettes are a prime suspect in many fatal fires. The U.S. Fire Administration says that every year, about 1,000 people die in smoking-related home fires. Roughly one in four of these deaths involve children and friends of smokers — and the firefighters trying to save them. Reach Tony Bartelme at 937-5554 or tbartelme@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 24 comment(s)
Posted by suec on May 16, 2008 at 7:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They don't care who threw the cigarette in the trash bin. There's no money in that angle.
Posted by jifdeng3 on May 16, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
suec
What part of UNDETERMINED do you not understand?
A cigarette is NOT determined as the cause. A definate cause for this fire will probably never be determined because of the extent of damage.
Posted by jifdeng3 on May 16, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As an add on to that, yeah, it is proabable that smoking materals caused this fire, but, maybe the lawsuits will cause companies in the future to think about where they designate smoking areas, and to enforece their policies.
Posted by JC on May 16, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Whether it was a cigarette or solvent soaked rags, I would bet that the person who did it knows they did it. Anyone want to fess up? I didn't think so.
Posted by summerville_guy on May 16, 2008 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And so many people yesterday on a different story were saying that they should have the right to smoke wherever they want...
Posted by suec on May 16, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Right to smoke Sville_guy...not the right to toss a butt whever you want.
Posted by Chasgirlie on May 16, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What I don't understand is the fact that everyone is ready to throw blame on Rusty Thomas and Mayor RIley and they can't even figure out how the fire started?!?!?! That just doesn't seem fair... ALSO, It is probably pretty tough to tell how a fire started but thats what fire investigators are paid for and trained for. They tore it down without being able to "determine" the cause... something seem shady?
Posted by ColdBeer on May 16, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
summerville_guy, can you please copy and paste any comments from yesterday that state people should have the right to smoke "wherever they want". I can't find those comments anywhere.
Hint: Neither can you.
Posted by ColdBeer on May 16, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Chasgirlie, you mixing up unrelated topics.
The only reason for finding the cause of the fire is to try and ensure that lessons area learned to prevent such fires from starting in the future.
As far as the firemen that died in the fire, the cause is irrelevant. 3 munchkins from the Land of Oz could have started that fire and it would not have affected how it was handled when the firefighters arrived at the scene. Rusty is being blamed for the deaths because he is at fault. He was the Fire Chief that allowed the fire stations to operate with inadequate equipment and poor procedures. He is responsible for ensuring that those two conditions do not exist and he failed. Riley is at fault because he is the mayor of the city and he is responsible for the actions, or lack there of, of the supervisors that he appoints. In the aftermath of the fire, he has also refused to accept that responsibility, failed to hold Rusty accountable and he has thwarted efforts to show what happened in its true light. Those are a few of the other reasons people are upset with him.
The cause does need to be found and any code violations on the part of the store also need to be addressed, but neither of those two factors are to blame for the deaths of the 9 firemen.
Posted by a_set_love on May 16, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Riley, your incompatince at running the City has made Charleston the laughing stock of the nation and world.
GOOD GRIEF!
Posted by Rebel_Yell on May 16, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In less than 50% of major fires can the actual cause be verified. That's because the fire destroys the evidence of what started it most of the time. There's nothing fishy about it -- the experts just dont make stuff up if they don't know for sure. Charleston will recover--we have the best mayor in the nation who has made Charleston the jewel of the South -- despite the influx of yankees and some cheap James Islanders who stink the place up from time to time.
Posted by drdcrimj on May 16, 2008 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Suec, you forget that most, if not all, cigarette smokers don't care where they toss the lit butts. Just look around you.
Posted by summerville_guy on May 16, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well played, Coldbeer. You got me on that one.
Posted by Neponset on May 16, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Everyone is so quick to blame this on a careless smoker. There were solvents and furniture refinishing/repair solutions in the area where the fire started. I do a lot work with such materials and of course rags are used,. I am very careful about placing this stuff (especially the soaked rags) away from any area where, if spontaneous combustion where to occur, it would do no harm other than scorch the pavement in the driveway. My point is that it is impossible to tell what started this fire , only that it lead to nine lost lives.
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 16, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is no money in suing the SSS. And the families are suing for just that; MONEY.
Sue Rusty and Weasle Joe. Tort Claims Act or not, there are ways around that in Federal Court.
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 16, 2008 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good inspection programs. But terrible at enforcement.
Posted by Paoa on May 16, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I suspect the fire was started by a cigarette, but I cannot prove it. What caused the deaths of the Charleston 9 has been proven by the Routley Report. Incompetence at the command level, poor training and a "culture" that permeated everything !
Posted by Slappa on May 16, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
this was a place where people frequently smoked and y'all are suggesting spontaneous combustion...come on, it's a damn smoker that caused this mess. Another reason to keep butt heads outdoors away from us clean living folk. These heros died not b/c of the Mayor or Rusty, it was a fire trap with code violations that got them.
To suggest Riley is the laughing stock of the nation is really funny, you must never leave the lowcountry ?
Posted by theronce on May 16, 2008 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Many people did not do the right thing that day and the many days leading up to it. The owner, the manager, the employees, the people who built the additions, the inspectors, the fireman in charge on the scene, the fire chief, the mayor, the city council, and the people who elected this government, all have a share of blame, some more than others. One lesson is that it is important for us to do the right thing all of the time in everything that we do. Because not one did it right in this case, it could be that that is all that stands in the way of a disaster; you never know.
Posted by suec on May 16, 2008 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Slappa, the smoking area was outside on a loading dock.
If the fire had never started then no firemen woudl have died. So if a person started it then yes, they are responsible. if it was a code violatiomn then whoever did the work or violated the code is responsible.
Posted by WardLaFrance on May 16, 2008 at 5:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You all just miss the point. It wasn't JUST the ignition, it wasn't JUST the condition of the store, it wasn't JUST the poor command or the poor training or the poor equipment. It was a culmination of all these things. A comedy of errors that led to an unfunny ending. However, under these circumstances, the LEADER of the FD who failed to size up the incident made POOR decisions, failed to actually take command of the scene and is ultimately responsible. Read the report in full. Even those of you who are not savvy will be able to understand just what occurred - or did not occur.
Posted by Reader on May 16, 2008 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thomas1776 wrote "There is no money in suing the SSS. And the families are suing for just that - MONEY. Sue Rusty and Weas[el] Joe. Tort Claims Act or not, there are ways around that in Federal Court."
Whether it is about defamation or the Freedom of Information Act or something else, it seems like Thomas1776 makes some legally false claim just about every day. The Tort Claims Act applies every bit as much in federal court as it does in state court.
Posted by a_set_love on May 17, 2008 at 12:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Riley, I hope you remember that a simple majority vote by city council can call for a special election ballot question on changing Charlestons form of government.
Its "State Law" Mr. Riley, you remember don't you.
What better timing than Novembers General Election, whilst everyone votes for a new president.
A change from strong mayor weak council, to strong council with a city manager or weak mayor.
Its coming Mr Riley, do you hear it in the wind, its the cries of the Charleston 9 demanding justice.
What better justice, after what you have done to them and Charleston, than to be made an empty figurehead.
The "Perfect Storm" approaches fast, Mr Riley and change is in its wind.
Posted by hawks10 on May 17, 2008 at 12:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why don't they just get everyone who was working during the time of the fire and hook them up to a polygraph? Ask them do you smoke? Were you smoking in the area the fire started? Then charge them with 9 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Hold them accountable, not just the store.