Shelton, CT High School Fire

[SageVigiles 1,194]

No Sprinklers at Shelton High Fire

WTNH

Alan Cohn

Shelton (WTNH) - A three alarm blaze broke out at Shelton High School this afternoon. Luckily, school was not in session, but a recent Count on 8 Investigation revealed that the section of the school where the fire started did not have a sprinkler system.

I know alot of you NY guys don't get the Connecticut news. But a couple months ago WTNH did an investigation into Shelton High School's renovations, which did NOT include sprinkler systems. I don't know about NY, but in CT, the code states that any existing structure that is renovated must be brought up to code. So the building SHOULD have had sprinklers installed. Only the FM didn't require them, and claimed that the school got an exception granted by the State FM. Which did not happen. He then changed his story to claim that they didn't NEED an exception. Which is not true.

Well, what do you know. A 3-Alarm working fire in the high school today. Shelton, Derby, Ansonia, Trumbull, and others responded. I can damn-near guarantee that several heads are going to roll on this one, rightfully so it sounds.

[sr71 1]

I know alot of you NY guys don't get the Connecticut news. But a couple months ago WTNH did an investigation into Shelton High School's renovations, which did NOT include sprinkler systems. I don't know about NY, but in CT, the code states that any existing structure that is renovated must be brought up to code. So the building SHOULD have had sprinklers installed. Only the FM didn't require them, and claimed that the school got an exception granted by the State FM. Which did not happen. He then changed his story to claim that they didn't NEED an exception. Which is not true.

Well, what do you know. A 3-Alarm working fire in the high school today. Shelton, Derby, Ansonia, Trumbull, and others responded. I can damn-near guarantee that several heads are going to roll on this one, rightfully so it sounds.

Its one of those " I hate to say I told Ya so" events. Its a Shame that it happened.

[eckyphats 0]

I believe sprinklers would have helped, we were getting are butts kicked for awhile, trying to reach the fire, heavy smoke and high heat

[IzzyEng4 427]

I listened to the alarm from my firehouse in Ansonia and talk about a response. There were some problems with the M/A responding from Ansonia as the request for one engine and our truck never got to our PD dispatch correctly. But hey, it happens. The SFD and all the mutual aid companies did an excellent job with a very stubborn and difficult fire.

Its gonna be interesting over the next few weeks with the investigation. Have to wait and see what happens especially with the FMO and the mayor.

[T. John 21]

October 31, 2008 article:

http://www2.wtnh.com/dpp/news/news_wtnh_sh...ol_200810310001

When it comes to fire safety, you would think our schools would be the last place to find major violations of state law and building codes. But a Count on 8 Investigation has uncovered a shocking lack of equipment used to fight fires at one high school.

In one sense, it's hard to explain the unexplainable. And in another sense, it's hard to understand the constantly changing explanation News Channel 8 got from both Shelton's Fire Marshal and the Mayor.

....

Lauretti: "I do know there are very few incidents that occur in a building like that. There is not much that can burn other than paper and people."

[NWFDMedic 58]

Thank goodness nobody was in there. IIRC from when I worked in the school system, New York does not require sprinklers in school buildings and in fact schools are exempt from most local building codes and rather follow some state inspection system.

[Bnechis 3,961]

New York does not require sprinklers in school buildings and in fact schools are exempt from most local building codes and rather follow some state inspection system.

NYS does require sprinklers in new school construction and in renovations over a certain % cost of the building value. All schools follow the NYS uniform Fire Prevention and building code. Excluding NYC there are no local building codes. Local AHJ can request specific local additions to the code thru the NYS Codes council and if granted, they can locally be enforced along with the state code.

The school inspection system has evolved from locals can, but it does not count & only a NYS Code Certified Inspector working for the Dept of Education can do them. Now the system is each school district is responsible to hire a Certified CEO (code enforcement officer) to perform the inspection and fill out state school forms and submit them for DOE approval. The person hired can be the local CEO, but not required to be.