So obviously the the everything
is built according to North
Carolina building code.
Our challenges in the in those buildings,
right. So bottom couple floors
depending on the that day,
the bottom two floors are
all concrete block, right.
Obviously doesn't burn everythig
above that is lightweight wood.
There's probably not a piece ofd
in that building bigger than a 2 by 4.
And when it is open like that,
think of your own fire pit in your house
when you put a new piece of wood on it.
This building was no different.
Our challenge comes in as as much as we want
the density and and walkability to things.
It is absolutely a challenge to.
When you take a building of that size,
300 foot by 100 foot and
you start a fire in in,
we'll call it the middle of it,
there's nothing that stops it.
You know so when firefighter McMillan
and Captain Benson and Coach tak
about things changed in a minut.
If you listen to any of the vids
that are out there that folks t,
you can hear the popping of
the wood and it's louder than
anything I've I've ever heard
Even when I arrived and
it was after their event.
The roar of the fire is is thins
you don't hear of and it's it's
a it's a challenge we we under.
We all understand the density and why,
why they build the way through.
Some of the building codes are t
friendly to what we do as a profession.
So we we've trained
on buildings like this,
right? This. They've been around for years
and years and years and years.
So we understand the hazards that come
with them. We understand that h,
the the bottom two floors were
concrete steps and then above tt
it was open scaffolding steps al
the way to the 6th floor, you k?
Nothing to stop the smoke and the fire
from traveling up in in those stairwells.
We understand that as soon as al
that wood starts to go, collaps.
Intimate. You know,
we I think we did that with Ladder 2.
Not only did we leave it in
place to protect the crane,
but at the same time we knew that hey,
we don't have time to move it either.
It was in a perfect spot to prot
that crane as best we could.
But.
The collapse of that style
construction is it doesn't takeg
compared to what we'll call old
building standards of solid woo.
Strength wise they're great.
There's there's very little
collapse hazard to them unless
they're on the fire conditions.
But a lot of the building systes
that you would normally see in e
when it's finished are just not there
while it's under that construct.
Do we trade on it? Yeah, but.
Just like you've heard the whole
time is we were risking a lot
to get the people that needed us
because that's what we do.
So it it it's hard to say because can we sit
there and say I know where
exactly everyone was? No.
But as you heard from from Chief
Weathers earlier, 100 people
already coming out of the build.
Our goal at that point is to make sure
we are pushing everybody to where they
can get out of the building as e
trying to locate the fire where it is
and try to control it as quick as we can.
As conditions changes we're tryg
to get up to that 6th floor to
where they where they are.
And likewise, you know the the,
the crane operator.
You know one of the most amazing
stories in all this is he swings
his crane over to the building,
drops his load down to the roofo
just get give them an opportuniy
to get on that at the same time.
Which is why he stayed in
his man box on the crane.
You know it, it is, it is the.
It is the grace of humanity
that that tries to do you know,
the best for other humans that we can,
that we can.
And you know,
that's always our job.
If we can get somebody
pushed towards an exit,
whether it's verbally or escort them,
we do that to get them out and we try
to get to those in the highest .