Narrow Houses

[mstrang1 213]

While down in Washington DC a few weeks ago, sat at a red light looking at this storefront. I do not know if the building is attached to the B or D side building, or if it gets wider behind either neighboring building. Besides the obvious issues of rear access associated with attached commercial occupancies, what issues present themselves with a fire at a building like this?

Edited September 14, 2011 by mstrang1

[mstrang1 213]

In addition, just prior to me taking the photo, the door was open, so it is not just a facade to cover the alleyway. There is an actual building there. It may be an extension of the D side store, but I was not able to tell from the car.

[sfrd18 360]

It can be a mystery. I've seen a lot of buildings like this, particularly in older or tight cities, or in towns/cities with "main street"-like storefronts. It can be confusing to a first responder. Speaking of narrow houses, here's what's supposed to be the "narrowest house in Boston", known locally as Skinny House. The house is ten feet at it's widest! Try doing primary and secondary searches in a house with interior walls being at the most nine feet wide and the narrowest space at six feet. Plus, there is no entrance facing the street, only via an alleyway about five feet wide on the "B" side, with exposure tenements on either side and a tight street out front. Sometimes, I don't know how companies in places in America's tightest and most compact cities, like New York, Philly, Baltimore, D.C., and Boston can do it.

Good topic mstrang1.

[ny10570 745]

On Bedford St in Manhattan there's a 3 story house that's about 10 feet wide. It was a few years ago that I was in there, however the house was fairly roomy and easy to maneuver around in after you got in the front door. LES tenements and Chinatown walk-ups are definitely far more difficult to get around in. I've seen many apartments where the residents would have killed for a full 9' of space.

Edited September 15, 2011 by ny10570

[efermann 28]

I would have guessed that was the entrance/stairwell to the upstairs apartment on either the B or D side based on the fact that the 2nd floor window didn't match up with the 2nd floor on either side. Zoomed way in, through the half-moon window above the door, I think I'm making out stairs. It's not clear, however, why it's painted a different color.

[lad12derff 283]

It can be a mystery. I've seen a lot of buildings like this, particularly in older or tight cities, or in towns/cities with "main street"-like storefronts. It can be confusing to a first responder. Speaking of narrow houses, here's what's supposed to be the "narrowest house in Boston", known locally as Skinny House. The house is ten feet at it's widest! Try doing primary and secondary searches in a house with interior walls being at the most nine feet wide and the narrowest space at six feet. Plus, there is no entrance facing the street, only via an alleyway about five feet wide on the "B" side, with exposure tenements on either side and a tight street out front. Sometimes, I don't know how companies in places in America's tightest and most compact cities, like New York, Philly, Baltimore, D.C., and Boston can do it.

Good topic mstrang1.

I would love to do primary and secondary searches in a building with 9x6 rooms.

[huzzie59 75]

Looks like it could be a back exit from a building on the next block.

[IzzyEng4 427]

I believe this is not a house but either an enclosed stairway or entrance way to another building in the rear or to one of them in the front. DC's property layout is much different than a lot of urban areas we are accustomed to. If you go to my thread on the Friendship Association DC Fire Museum thread, you will see a model of DC's old style response. The display shows that each typical block has access to what I would call a courtyard for the backs of the buildings. DCFD will place an engine company in the rear courtyard area to protect the rear or attack the fire from there. They have performed and pre-planned this tactic for many years. This dates back to the old two piece engine company days (pumper and hose wagon).

[antiquefirelt 994]

As others have pointed out, this is likely a stairwell space. With storefronts that take up all of the first floor on either side, there's good chance that they needed a secondary means of egress (rear stairs as the primary)from the upper floors. Generally codes do not allow other businesses or residential occupancies to have their means of egress through another occupancy, necessitating the "outside" stair. We have a few similar "shared stairwells" that two buildings share between them, specifically for this purpose.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Is that in Georgetown? That entire section of DC has some very interesting construction features. Man I miss my old stomping grounds.

I believe this is not a house but either an enclosed stairway or entrance way to another building in the rear or to one of them in the front. DC's property layout is much different than a lot of urban areas we are accustomed to. If you go to my thread on the Friendship Association DC Fire Museum thread, you will see a model of DC's old style response. The display shows that each typical block has access to what I would call a courtyard for the backs of the buildings. DCFD will place an engine company in the rear courtyard area to protect the rear or attack the fire from there. They have performed and pre-planned this tactic for many years. This dates back to the old two piece engine company days (pumper and hose wagon).

Izzy when I first joined the fire service in Virginia it drove me nuts that they called engines "wagons" from DC tradition. Took a while to get used to when we'd go out for training and the officer would say "we're gonna take the wagon." Or first alarm I went on and homie barks out on the radio "wagon 6 responding." I was like WTF is that?

[antiquefirelt 994]

Is that in Georgetown? That entire section of DC has some very interesting construction features. Man I miss my old stomping grounds.

Was in Georgetown this past Monday, thought that pic looked like it could have been there, possibly Dupont Circle too?

[roeems87 0]

Wisconsin Ave and Prospect Street NW (between M and N streets NW), Georgetown neighborhood of DC.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Though it was Wisconsin Ave, the Apple store gave it away. Here is the satellite view of the buildings in question. It appears definitely to be a entrance way. between the buildings.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1229+Wisconsin+Avenue+NW+,+Washington,+DC+20007&hl=en&ll=38.906066,-77.062541&spn=0.000566,0.000862&sll=38.905946,-77.062826&sspn=0.004525,0.006899&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=20

[sfrd18 360]

I would love to do primary and secondary searches in a building with 9x6 rooms.

Haha, my bad . Searching would be the easy part. You'd be done in ten minutes, while hugging the wall the whole time .

I should have phrased it as "firefighting in general". Small houses can be a double-edged sword, mainly because of cramped working conditions in the interior. While small size might make searching and some other fireground operations easy, because of it's small size and wooden structure, a house like Skinny House could go up quick, with extension and problems to exposure tenements, which cramp the North End area. Plus, finding a small fire while in a cramped space might not be so easy, especially with a line stretched(of course, there's always the can) and in full gear with tools.

For anyone whose interested, the building does, in fact, back up to a common alleyway with another exit down the block, sort of like in the movie Rear Window, so it isn't competely surrounded.

[CLM92982 26]

Those of us local to the Mamaroneck area are probably familiar with this house on Grand Street.

Mamaroneck's Slimmest Home

[ny10570 745]

Manhattan narrow house for rent.

Interior photos