The metal roofing and cladding added to the challenge firefighters faced last week in Houlton and Belfast as they battled blazes that toppled structures and left a child dead.
The metal roofing and cladding added to the challenge firefighters faced last week in Houlton and Belfast as they battled blazes that toppled structures and left a child dead.
Homeowners have turned to metal roofing for years for their longevity and ease of maintenance, and even for fire protection. But when a fire breaks out, metal roofs are difficult for firefighters to walk through, taking up valuable time when every second counts, and roofs become slippery, increasing the risks firefighters face.
On Wednesday morning, fire crews in Houlton attempted to battle a blaze that engulfed a 14-unit apartment building, which ultimately killed a 4-year-old child and sent the child’s siblings to hospital. It took crews several hours to put out the fire, and the structure’s metal roof made it difficult for firefighters to attack the flames.
A day later in Belfast, an early morning fire engulfed the Penobscot McCrum potato processing plant. Similarly, metal cladding and roofing presented an additional challenge for fire crews.
To fight a fire, firefighters must ventilate it by digging a hole in the roof. This allows heat and gases that promote combustion to escape as crews work to put out the fire below.
“When we’re trying to cut through metal roofing, it’s hard to do because our saws are designed for asphalt and wood, that sort of thing,” said Geoff Low, fire chief and director of safety. public of Orono. “Metal takes longer to cut with standard equipment, like a regular chainsaw.”
While large fire departments like those in Orono, Old Town and Bangor have specialized equipment for the task, smaller rural departments likely don’t, Low said.
On top of that, cutting metal is more labor intensive, requiring more firefighters — something smaller departments often don’t have, he said.
Metal roofing — especially in older buildings and homes — is often built over pre-existing wood or asphalt shingles, Low said, which means there are multiple layers to cut, some of which are materials. flammable.
“The fire can spread up the wall, into the roof and start running under that metal roofing, which is a problem for us,” he said.
Then metal roofs become slippery easily, Low said.
Fire truck ladders have two hooks on the end, like snake fangs, that secure the ladder to a roof and make it stable for firefighters, he said.
“There were instances where firefighters thought they had the ladder installed, but when they climbed up the metal let the ladder hooks slip and the ladder started sliding on the roof for a while. they were on it, which makes for a pretty dangerous situation,” he said.
The danger does not end there. If there is snow, ice or water on a metal roof, it is almost impossible to cross because it is too slippery.
Large factory-like structures, such as the Potato Processing Factory in Belfast, usually have metal support and metal decking. But there is also asphalt and stone on top to protect the roof from the weather. There may also be a wooden frame underneath, he said.
This means a firefighter can land on a flat roof but must cut through multiple layers to ventilate a fire. Getting through a roof like this can take six firefighters, Low said.
Metal roofing gained popularity in the 1800s as technology advanced to prevent rust. At the time, they were considered “fireproof” buildings, according to the National Park Service.
Homeowners and builders shouldn’t be afraid of metal roofs, Low said. But firefighters need the proper tools to fight fires in metal-roofed structures.
“The problem is that in some of these smaller towns or some of these more rural areas there aren’t a lot of people to start with, it’s very labor intensive and money is an issue,” he said. said Low.
On top of that, Low said fires today seem to be burning at higher temperatures due to the materials used in construction today. When you combine hotter fires with metal roofs that are difficult for firefighters to walk through, it’s not easy to put out a fire, he said.
“That has always been a problem. There’s no doubt about it,” Low said. “But I think the reduction in firefighters and the increased intensity of the fires makes it an increasingly challenging thing.”
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