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Below is an email from my Ian Smith, my employee in Boulder, CO. He
talked to the owner this morning and his summary is below. <br>
<br>
Jeff Ruppert<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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So, just got off the phone with Erik.<br>
<pre>
One of his first comments was, "Damn newspapers! They never get anything
right."
The house was a one-story load-bearing SB octagon with a 2-story
stick-framed addition in the back with spray foam insulation in the
walls, floor, and roof.
The fire started in the crawlspace of the stick-framed addition and
burned most of the wood structure before moving into the SB part of the
house. He claims that all the foam had a part in intensifying the blaze
(by keeping all the heat inside, and by off gassing), but I'm not sure
about that. (anyone?)
The roof of the octagon apparently went next, followed by the floor.
The SB walls experienced degradation at door and window openings first.
(as these were probably un-plastered, and had wood frames).
Around this time, the fire department had arrived and took the family to
the hospital. Erik thinks the fire crew may have knocked the SB walls
down. (I don't know much about fire-fighting procedures, but that seems
pretty reasonable to assume... for safety reasons. I imagine they hosed
everything down for a while after that).
Erik wasn't too interested in having visitors up there right now. But,
he said he may be able to send some pictures of the site. I think
that's good enough for now, eh?
Mark, if you feel like calling that guy you know at Left Hand Fire
Dept., it might be nice to learn what he could tell us. Maybe he was
even there...?
Ian Smith, P.E.
Odisea, LLC
1460 Lee Hill Rd., #7
Boulder, CO 80304
p: 303-443-4335
f: 303-443-4355
e: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:ian@odiseanet.com">ian@odiseanet.com</a>
w: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.odiseanet.com">www.odiseanet.com</a>
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