A fire that broke out at the “Steel Cow” building in Waukon, Iowa, was stunted by the presence of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing in the structure.
The April 6, 2021 fire was called in quickly and firefighters arrived promptly, which helped slow down the blaze, but the CFS framing used in the last remodel of the building also played a role, the Waukon fire chief said.
Fire Mitigation Measures Include CFS
Waukon Fire Chief Dave Martin “gave an abundance of credit to the [owners] for some fire mitigation measures implemented within their earlier remodeling process of the building,” says The Waukon Standard.
“They did it right,” said Martin. “They used fire braces and steel studs in the walls, so that really stunted the fire’s ability to climb the walls and that was obviously a big help.”
One of the owners of the “Steel Cow,” Josh Miller, had served as a firefighter before moving to Waukon. Martin said “his knowledge and experience [in the fire department] obviously played a role in how he approached things with the remodel, and that really paid dividends.”
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“Growing up in construction and being [a firefighter] for several years provided me with some valuable experience in knowing how we wanted to renovate that building,” said Miller, who owns the building with his wife, Val. “I wanted it to be pretty fire-tight so that if something like this ever did happen, we at least had a chance to try and slow it down some.”
The assistance from the Decorah Fire Department with an aerial ladder truck allowed quick and convenient access to the roof.
“With the good amount of early information we got, we made sure we had everything we needed and had a good plan in place,” Martin said.
Martin added, “Our guys hit it hard and knocked it down very quickly. I don’t think we used even 500 gallons of water. The guys did a great job. It was a good save.”
The exact cause of the fire is still being pinpointed. While the building’s main floor suffered the greatest amount of damage, the fire-tight renovation helped prevent the spread of the flames. The “Steel Cow” remains structurally sound, The Standard said.
Steel is Non-Combustible
The Waukon story emphasizes why many, and not just firefighters, prefer buildings with CFS framing. Cold-formed metal framing is non-combustible and, thus, can’t contribute fuel to a fire. This fact is causing many to rethink how buildings should be built. For example …
Los Angeles may curtail the use of wood-frame construction
“In a move which is billed as an attempt to reduce the city’s vulnerability to wildfires,”says Urbanize, “the Los Angeles City Council voted [in April 2021] to explore a proposal which could curtail the use of wood-frame construction for larger developments in some of its most densely-populated neighborhoods.”
- One recommendation would affect all projects with 150,000 square feet of floor area or greater, and buildings with 100,000 square feet of floor area that are greater than 30 feet in height
- The Council will examine the impacts of a possible expansion of Los Angeles Fire District 1’s boundaries to include all areas within the city covered by the California Department of Forestry’s Very High Severity Zone and the City’s High Wind Velocity Zone
- Hillside neighborhoods across the city could be impacted by the changes, as could portions of Highland Park, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and Pacific Palisades
In 2020, 52,113 wildfires burned 8,889,297 acres in the United States.
Home builders out West turn to CFS framing
Last year was record-setting one for wildfires in the United States — 52,113 wildfires burned 8,889,297 acres during 2020, the National Interagency Fire Center says.
- “Wood building materials [are] extremely dangerous, especially in areas that often face the threat of destructive wildfires,” says the BigRedGuide, a news platform serving the firefighting and fire protection industry.
- Scott Acton of Forté Specialty Contractors says a home’s chance for survival goes way up using steel framing, which is why he believes non-combustible steel framing is the future of construction.
More Resources
- Free eBook download: Strength in the Face of Disaster: How Cold-Formed Steel Framing Keeps Buildings Safe
- The Framing Material That Can Lower Your Insurance Premiums
- 3 Reasons Why Cold-Formed Steel is Ideal for Urban Infill Projects