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On July 25, 2019, we were fortunate to have Professor Len Garis, a Canadian fire protection expert, share some of the research findings of his "Research on Fire Control and Safety of Timber Buildings in Canada." His discussion on "Fire Outcomes in Different Building Types" provided us with new insights into the fire safety of timber buildings.
Professor Len Garis pointed out that the study was based on fires that occurred in British Columbia, Canada between 2008 and 2013, selecting a total of 11,875 fires that resulted in 107 deaths and 772 injuries.
In the research process, the types of building structures that caught fire were first classified into the following five categories.
The first category is exposed combustible structures-open-style wooden grilles;
The second category is protected combustible structures-wooden structures protected with drywall;
The third category is exposed combustible structures-heavy timber structures;
The fourth category is exposed non-combustible structures-steel structures;
The fifth category is protected non-combustible structures-protected steel and concrete structures;
Secondly, the following analysis is conducted to draw conclusions.
The number of fires and the casualty rate for each of the above structural types;
The fire spread range of each of the above structural types;
Fire frequency for each of the above structural types;
The fire spread range of each of the above structural types and protected structural types;
Fire control methods for the above structural types;
The fire mortality rate for each of the above structural types;
The relationship between structural type and mortality rate in the presence of properly functioning smoke detectors and fire sprinklers.
Research data shows that fire spread is very similar across different building structures and material combinations.
Of the 865 fires that used both smoke detectors and sprinkler systems, we can see that the casualty rates for protected combustible structures and protected non-combustible structures are very similar. (Over 90% of low-density and many multi-story buildings in Canada are timber-framed, and while unprotected heavy timber structures account for only 1.7% of the total, their injury and death rates are zero).
Therefore, it can be concluded that fire safety is unrelated to the type of building structure materials. In terms of the overall spread of fire, whether it's a wood structure or reinforced concrete, most fires can be controlled within the room where they originate.
Meanwhile, the research results also showed that smoke detection systems can reduce the mortality rate by 38%, and sprinkler systems can reduce it by 69%. Combining these two methods can reduce the mortality rate by 77%.
By installing more reliable and secure fire warning and control systems, the casualty rate in fires can be significantly reduced. As a complement to research on building structural materials, this means we can rely on reliable fire control systems to extinguish fires before they spread to the structure, ensuring that the building structural materials are unaffected by fire.
Professor Len Garis has over 30 years of experience in firefighting, having served as a fire chief in fire departments in several Canadian cities. He has also participated in academic research at several Canadian universities as a visiting professor and provided related technical consultations. In addition, he has published numerous professional papers and books on fire safety and fire control.