Roofers vs Firefighters

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Today at one of our stores that we are having a roof put on, caught on fire! The roofers attempted their best to extinguish it but it still kept burning. One roofer went into the store and told everyone to get out.

Within minuets the fire department showed up. Ladder truck over the top of the building while another crew went inside and ripped down the ceiling above the front counter. Lots of water, big mess, fire trucks everywhere, hoses across the parking lot, and,,,,,,,,,,people still trying to get served!

That was my excitment for the day. Apparently the torches the roofer was using got too close to one of the HVAC units and sucked the flame into the air handler catching the filters on fire. It just followed the ducting on thru the store.

Got to give a big thumbs up to the fire department for doing a great job. Nobody hurt and the store will be saved. The lobby won't be open tomorrow or for awhile, but the drive thru will be open tomorrow. Of course none of the roofers admit to being close to the HVAC unit with the torch...Hmmmmmmm

 

[Hoss the Hermit]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

So, who wrote the hot work permit? Does your company have a hot work program? Were all the people involved trained? Fire watch? Dunno who your insurance carrier is, but these things can get touchy?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Holy Cow! You should keep a journal of all this stuff that happens to/around you. Write a book, get it published and live easy.


The most unusual and interesting stuff happens to ya. I am amazed. Glad no one was hurt.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

I didn't have anything to do with this, so it aint my fault........ this time I sorta happy because now they are gonna have to get at least 1 new HVAC unit.

Thought about telling my boss that a skylight would look good above the front counter.........

 

[aspeck]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

When I saw the title I thought it was going to be a complaint about the size of hole the firefighters cut in the roof for ventilation - I hear that alot from contractors, but we do what we have to do. Glad the firefighters did a good job!

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

When I saw the title I thought it was going to be a complaint about the size of hole the firefighters cut in the roof for ventilation - I hear that alot from contractors, but we do what we have to do. Glad the firefighters did a good job!

As a building inspector I was often asked if an access hole was big enough in case of fire, I always answered, don't worry, it will be!

 

[aspeck]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

We are told that when cutting a hole for ventilation, try to make it about 4x8 so a peice of plywood can fix it. Guess what, we don't have tape measures with us, and the adrenaline is pumping, and the holes are usually about 4 1/2 x 9! OOPS!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

We are told that when cutting a hole for ventilation, try to make it about 4x8 so a peice of plywood can fix it. Guess what, we don't have tape measures with us, and the adrenaline is pumping, and the holes are usually about 4 1/2 x 9! OOPS!

But do you practice on a McD's??

 

[aspeck]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Shucks, we practice anytime we get a saw in our hands and have something we can get away with cutting! Can I come to your house for a visit?

 

[boatradioman]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Today at one of our stores that we are having a roof put on, caught on fire! The roofers attempted their best to extinguish it but it still kept burning. One roofer went into the store and told everyone to get out.

Within minuets the fire department showed up. Ladder truck over the top of the building while another crew went inside and ripped down the ceiling above the front counter. Lots of water, big mess, fire trucks everywhere, hoses across the parking lot, and,,,,,,,,,,people still trying to get served!

That was my excitment for the day. Apparently the torches the roofer was using got too close to one of the HVAC units and sucked the flame into the air handler catching the filters on fire. It just followed the ducting on thru the store.

Got to give a big thumbs up to the fire department for doing a great job. Nobody hurt and the store will be saved. The lobby won't be open tomorrow or for awhile, but the drive thru will be open tomorrow. Of course none of the roofers admit to being close to the HVAC unit with the torch...Hmmmmmmm

I am just happy to hear the firefighters put out the fire and nobody died.That is the most important part.

 

[BMOLCHANY]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Was it a large structure? Depending on the type of roof that was on it the firedept might have cut a hole that is longer than it is wide and looks like a sidewalk in appearance. This is one of the things that I hear comments about from companies when we do follow ups after a job. My response is "I do not tell you how to put on a roof and you do not tell me how to put out a fire".

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters (Update)

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters (Update)

The store reopened its lobby for inside dinning on the 19th of July. The company went ahead and did a total remodel. I'm happy because all the HVAC units are now new! ......At least I won't have to service them until the warranty expires for a year .

It was a rough job, but they did get the drive thru reopened the day afterwards. We built a wall between the front counter and lobby. Health Dept gave us a big thumbs up to reopen the kitchen. This is one of our busiest stores, so it was important for them to get er done!

There wasn't a big hole chopped in the roof. Its a flat roof and once the dropped ceiling was down, the fire department was able to extinguish the flames. Two trusses were burned pretty bad, but they managed to cut them out and replace them.

 

[BMOLCHANY]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Its good to hear that there was a positive outcome from the whole thing taking place.

 

[ThePostMan]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Sounds like your FD was on the ball! Pulling the ceiling inside was probably the messiest part, but the alternative was allowing water to pool up there until it crushed the entire ceiling.

I love it when we have to trench-cut a roof a few doors down from the actual fire, and the property owner flips out about the monstrous hole in the roof.

You want the big hole, or a fire taking out your whole strip mall? Your call!

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Its great to hear things turned out and are back to normal.

 

[BMOLCHANY]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

"What are you doing on my roof?" "You can't do that I just put that roof on last year".....................

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Roofers vs Firefighters

Here is a bit of an ironic note

After the roofers were finally done,,,,,,,The HVAC team came in and installed 3 new units. So all the pretty aluminum coating got messed up. The roofers had to come back and redo around the areas of the units.

There was one unit that was 3 years old. I had to go change the filters on it,,,,,,Got my feet stuck in the tar........Tar that wasn't even close to curing!.........After I was done,,,my boss called to tell me that there is fresh tar that takes 90 days to cure so be careful. Told him that it was too late,,,,,,,lots of black foot prints now on the shiny silver