Fire in storage unit used as residence

NFPA Journal, Mar/Apr 2004 by Tremblay, Kenneth J

STORAGE

CALIFORNIA-A fire in a storage unit in which someone was living spread to other units, causing an estimated $900,000 worth of property damage.

The single-story building, which had a corrugated metal roof and walls, sat on a concrete slab and contained storage units for lease. No automatic detection or fire suppression systems were reported. At the time of the 2 a.m. fire, the property was closed for the evening, and a night watchman was on site.

Investigators determined the fire began in the unit that was being used as a dwelling, but they were unable to locate the ignition source. The unit contained a propane gas-fired heater, a barbeque, lamps, a gasoline-powered generator, and a refrigerator.

Five firefighters were injured by exposure to hazardous materials, and a sixth suffered from exhaustion. Damage to the building, valued at $300,000, and its contents, valued at $1.5 million, were estimated at $150,000 and $750,000, respectively.