A fire that erupted at a Florida warehouse on May 18 has incurred losses of at least $1 million, Orlando NBC affiliate WESH reported. Firefighters were called to the scene of the Casselberry warehouse at approximately 7:12 a.m. as smoke poured into the air from the blaze inside. It is unclear if industrial fire alarms were used to alert anyone inside to the present danger, but no injuries were sustained by any workers. One firefighter was taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion but was not seriously harmed.
When city firefighters arrived, they soon called for backup, as the blaze had grown to a considerable size. Dozens of firefighters and several fire trucks were present to extinguish the flames, which was still smoldering past 4 p.m. that day. Crews inside the structure were soon ordered to evacuate due to damage caused to the roof, which was in danger of collapsing.
The warehouse is used by four businesses, including Serv Pro, a company that provides restoration services after fires, floods and other disasters. The company warehouse is just a few feet behind their office building, which was unharmed by the blaze. Almost everything inside the warehouse has been destroyed and the structure is severely damaged, totaling an estimated $1 million loss for the companies involved.
An investigation is ongoing, but the warehouse was initially deemed too dangerous to inspect from the interior.
Warehouse fire safety
Certain buildings, such as warehouses, are particularly prone to risk of fire. Warehouses often hold flammable items that are densely packed into confined spaces, increasing the risk of incident. Because of this elevated risk, it is imperative that regular inspections take place at all industrial sites. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that warehouses have smoke alarms, flame detectors and fire extinguishers in place to keep workers safe and to prevent large-scale damage.
If warehouses contain any potentially harmful gases that can leak and cause fire, then combustible gas leak detectors should be installed. It is not enough, though, to simply affix safety equipment to walls – all employees must know the risks of their jobs, and evacuation plans should be prominently displayed so that there is no confusion or panic if an emergency exit must take place.
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