A commercial strip-mall fire poses significant challenges to the engine company officer. Everything from the age of the structure to building construction to the fire load to building access is very site-specific and must therefore be incorporated into the incident action plan (IAP). Much thought should also be given to any and all resources: the number and types of apparatus needed, water supply, hoselines, staffing, etc. If the IAP and responding resources aren’t thoroughly planned out, a fire in this type of large occupancy can quickly and easily grow out of control, destroying millions of dollars in valuable property and placing firefighters in extreme danger.
In this article, we’ll discuss the challenges of working a strip-mall fire and the tactics needed to combat fires in these types of large structures.
Dangers of Type 2 & 3 Construction
As with any fire, operations at a commercial strip-mall fire should begin with a thorough size-up to determine the age of the structure, which will also help determine the construction method used. These days, strip malls are usually built with fire-resistive or Type 2 construction, which uses steel bar joist roof members to allow for large, open areas. But prior to the 1960s, strip malls (commonly called “taxpayers”) were primarily constructed using ordinary, Type 3 construction. Both construction types contain inherent hazards that may affect the integrity of the structure.
Although the supporting members won’t burn, the floor and ceiling assemblies in Type 3 construction are usually combustible. Wood floors covered with Terrazzo or concrete may fail prematurely if there’s fire below. The roof structure may also fail depending on fire extent and location, especially if the fire has extended to the cockloft or attic space.
With Type 2 construction, the structural members may not burn, but the fire may affect the roof or structural support system and cause catastrophic collapse of the roof and/or walls, which may occur without warning.
Mall Occupancy
The occupancies within a strip mall will determine the potential fire load and dictate the fire spread and growth rate. Occupancies often found in strip malls contain furniture, clothing and other combustibles that provide an abundance of fuel for the fire. Because of this, the tactics employed must be very site-specific. As we’ve discussed in previous articles, firefighters are creatures of habit. We have a tendency to use, or consider using, residential tactics on commercial structures. But due to the many crucial differences between the two types of structures, residential tactics have no place in a commercial strip-mall fire and can cause injury or even death if employed in the wrong place. (For more information on residential vs. commercial structure fires, read “Big Fire = Big Hose: Don’t treat a commercial/industrial fire like a residential fire,” June issue, p. 40.)
Hoseline Considerations
The large open areas inherent in strip malls provide the potential for a large, unconfined fire; therefore, the standard hose/nozzle combination deployed should be a 2½” hoseline with a 1?” or 1¼” tip. This combination will provide the engine company with both the needed gpm to overpower the fire and the penetration capability to reach the seat of the fire.
The strip-mall fire usually allows for an easier 2½” hose stretch than the residential structure, because strip malls often don’t have small, confined quarters and numerous turns; however, engine companies must practice to become proficient at deploying and advancing the 2½” hoseline. The objective should be to rapidly attack the fire with multiple attack lines and overpower it with gpm while it’s still manageable.
Note: Any interior attack must be tempered with the knowledge that concealed spaces created by drop ceilings will also create the potential for the fire to get behind the advancing engine company. Because of this, crews must pull the ceiling at the entrance prior to advancement on the fire and periodically throughout the advance.
Getting In
Forcible entry into the occupancy may be a challenge. Many businesses inside strip malls are protected with metal roll-down gates and doors that may obscure the interior of the occupancy, delay the alarm to the fire department and present a formidable barrier to firefighters trying to suppress the fire.
Considering the various types of security measures taken at strip malls, be ready for anything when trying to gain entry into the rear of these occupancies. The rear doors are often the most heavily fortified doors you’ll face.
Any delay in detection and suppression will allow the fire to continue to grow. If the fire has gone undetected long enough to reach backdraft conditions, position the charged 2½” hoseline and coordinate vertical ventilation with the fire attack.
When to Switch Tactics
If the fire has progressed within the occupancy of origin and an offensive attack is no longer possible, change the IAP/operational strategy to focus on cutting the fire off horizontally. This will require a coordinated attack between truck companies and multiple engine companies. Crews will need to advance hoselines to both sides of the fire occupancy, and the ceiling area will need to be opened up along the entire length of the exposure. Multiple hoselines will need to be deployed into the exposures and directed into the ceiling space to cut off the fire. The 1?” or 1¼” tip will be useful here for penetration and reach.
Note: This is a time-consuming operation that requires multiple personnel to work the scene; it may also involve conceding several occupancies to the fire in order to get ahead of the flame front.
Going Defensive
When a defensive strategy has been declared in the occupancy of origin, portable and apparatus-mounted master streams will need to be deployed. The engine should be positioned so that crews can take full advantage of the apparatus-mounted deck gun, but they should also leave room for an aerial platform to be positioned in the front of the building. An aerial platform placed at ground level in the front of the structure with the ladder-mounted master streams delivering 1,000 gpm to the ceiling area from below can extinguish a lot of fire.
If an aerial platform is not available, apparatus-mounted or portable deck guns can be very effective and should be set up outside the collapse zone.
Water Supply
With either the offensive or defensive strategy, water supply will be extremely important. Every engine company should secure their own water supply using large-diameter hose (LDH). This also provides redundancy in the water supply should the LDH become damaged or a hydrant is found to be defective. An engine with a LDH supply should also be assigned to supply the fire department connection if the building is equipped with a sprinkler system.
Stay Safe
Commercial strip-mall fires are high-hazard/low-frequency incidents, resulting in more firefighter injuries and deaths per fire than the “typical” residential fire. The large open areas inside strip malls provide greater potential for firefighters to become disoriented or lost, which could cause them to run out of air. The layout of aisles within the strip mall restricts the directional movement within the structure. The usual exits are located at the front and rear of the structure only. Maintaining orientation to the front and rear of the store will help you find your way out. Firefighters will also have to travel a longer distance to safety due to the size of the structure. For this reason, it’s imperative that firefighters stay in contact with the hoseline or utilize a search rope and manage their air supply accordingly.
Despite their large size and many challenges, if given the proper resources and a complete incident action plan, along with a thorough size-up and proper tactics, strip-mall fires can be contained fairly easily. But as with all structural fires, pre-planning and proper training are imperative to success.
