Steel Studs Prevent Spread of Fire in South Dakota Diner

A fire that broke out at the Phillips Avenue Diner in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was contained by the presence of metal studs in the structure.

Crews responded to a report of a small fire on June 5, 2021, at the local diner. The fire was quickly extinguished, but the presence of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing on the south side of the building prevented the spread of the fire.

Metal studs are one reason the fire didn’t spread farther.

Made with lots of steel

Don Anderson, president of WR Hospitality, which owns the Phillips Avenue Dinner, heard his phone ring on the night of June 5, says the KELOLAND News. The alarm system had gone off. Anderson would later learn that that alarm was triggered not by an intruder, but by a fire.

However, the fire itself was relatively contained. According to Anderson, it damaged bathrooms and a walk-in freezer, both on the south end of the building.That section of the building is now gutted. Only the bathroom flooring, piping, electrical conduit and the metal studs remain.

The metal studs are one reason the fire didn’t spread farther.

“The diner’s made out of a lot of steel,” says Anderson. “There’s not much wood in that corner so the fire really went slow. It didn’t build up enough heat.”

An official cause is not yet known. However, the diner is expected to open in late August, less than three months after the fire.

Fires occur frequently

The National Fire Prevention Association reports that every 24 seconds, a fire department in the United States responds to a fire somewhere in the nation. A fire occurs in a structure at the rate of one every 65 seconds, and a home fire occurs every 93 seconds.

Wildfires are further contributing to the spread of fires throughout the nation. Across the Western section of the United States, there are 81 large fires burning 2,500 square miles in 12 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

John Farrow, Farrow Development, is rebuilding parts of Santa Rosa, California, after wildfires destroyed thousands of homes in local communities.

Rebuilding with non-combustible steel framing

With the continued threat of damage caused by fires, many are rethinking how buildings should be built. Some recent examples include:

• John Farrow, president of Farrow Development, is working to rebuild parts of Santa Rosa, California, after the 2017 Tubbs Fire destroyed thousands of homes in local communities. According to an article in the North Bay Business Journal, Farrow chose to use non-combustible CFSl framing and stucco finishes for the rebuild
• Canada-based home building company BONE Structure is rebuilding homes in Napa, California by using prefabricated steel framing wrapped in non-combustible insulation. BONE Structure is working with a growing number of homeowners to build homes with a design and materials to resist fire, SFGATE says
• Architect Mike Roddym CEO at Butte Built Better, has built 700 steel framed homes after wildfires devastated parts of Southern Oregon. According to the Mail Tribune, Roddym believes communities where wood-dominant buildings have burned to the ground should explore rebuilding with non-combustible steel framing

Unlike wood studs, which easily combust when temperatures reach over 500 degrees, steel studs do not ignite when exposed to the same temperatures, says TheBigRedGuide. Without the ability to add fuel to a spreading fire, steel studs protect the integrity of a structure.

Additional Resources

• Fire Chief Offers Perspective on Wood Framed Mid-Rise Building
• Steel’s Fire Resistance
• The Framing Material That Can Lower Your Insurance Premiums