31Dec2015- Address Hotel in Dubai Burns

[Huntn]

Do very tall buildings represent very tall fire hazards? I might be mistaken, but it sounds like most people were evacuated if you can believe the reporting. Watching it on MSNBC.

The city prides itself on its New Years fireworks. I suppose this year it will be difficult to outdo this fire display.

Dubai hotel burns near New Year's Eve fireworks display

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[firedept]

Do very tall buildings represent very tall fire hazards? I might be mistaken, but it sounds like most people were evacuated if you can believe the reporting.

Generally not. But fire codes will most likely be very different there than in North America. In most tall structure fires like this they will have fire suppression (sprinklers) and firewalls to minimize the fire to usually a single dwelling in the structure. Doors will have plungers, to make sure that a person leaving an area in panic and forgets to close a door, so that door will automatically close.

This is why in North America you do not tend to see large fires like this in newer tall structures. I am not surprised it engulfed so much of the building. Or something went terrible wrong with the fire suppression they had in that particular building. You have to consider that these buildings are mostly concrete and steel. Leaving only contents in the room to burn. If doors are closed and sprinklers are working, this kind of fire is generally put out rapidly.

Sounds like something on the outside of that building was not fireproof as it should have been.

 

[aaronvan]

 

[Huntn]

Generally not. But fire codes will most likely be very different there than in North America. In most tall structure fires like this they will have fire suppression (sprinklers) and firewalls to minimize the fire to usually a single dwelling in the structure. Doors will have plungers, to make sure that a person leaving an area in panic and forgets to close a door, so that door will automatically close.

This is why in North America you do not tend to see large fires like this in newer tall structures. I am not surprised it engulfed so much of the building. Or something went terrible wrong with the fire suppression they had in that particular building. You have to consider that these buildings are mostly concrete and steel. Leaving only contents in the room to burn. If doors are closed and sprinklers are working, this kind of fire is generally put out rapidly.

Sounds like something on the outside of that building was not fireproof as it should have been.

I got tired of listening to them drone on, but there was speculation that one of the things contributing to the fire was combustable items on rhe balconies. It looked like the outside the building was burning, but maybe not.

 

[rdowns]

I don't think modern building could go up like that.

Disgusting how cable news was literary praying for a terrorism angle.

 

[JamesMike]

There are also many apartments in the building, and a friend of mine lived in one about a year ago. He had a barbecue grill on his balcony; maybe it started from an item like that.

 

[MacNut]

I don't think modern building could go up like that.

Disgusting how cable news was literary praying for a terrorism angle.

The early reports blame the facade that was burning. It's basically plastic and fiberglass.

 

[vkd]

Great film, I remember watching it in my junior years. Just checked, released December 1974, so I would've been 8 or 9 years old.