[GSBN] Fire case studies

[bob at bobtheis.net]

Here's a fire incident that Jim Reiland asked me to post on his behalf.  

There was a similar event at Black Range Lodge years ago where heat from a cob fireplace flanked by bale walls set the walls  to smoldering.  Catherine Wanek should be able to fill in the details. 

Makes me wonder if these massive-looking  bale walls register subliminally as masonry, so people drop their inherent caution about keeping combustibles away from fire.  

Now I imagine the warning label that goes on each bale….

Bob

 
Last year I repaired a straw bale wall in a small cottage here in S. Oregon.  The wall had burned.  Whoever installed the wood burning stove failed to read the instructions about keeping it a minimum of 30” from flammable material, or thought that a straw bale wall protected by an inch of plaster was inflammable (probably the latter). 
 
The stove was operated seasonally (November – April) for ten years before heat finally ignited the straw bales inside the wall.  According to the responding fire fighters, the fire appeared to have been burning for several hours and was “creeping around,” especially at horizontal and vertical joints between bales.  It likely started during the night and more smoldered through than burned approximately 120 sq. ft. of a clay plastered straw bale wall for several hours before a neighbor noticed the fire, found the building occupant unconscious (the building had no smoke or CO alarms), and called the fire department.  When fire fighters removed exterior plaster to get at the fire the wall burst into flame, which they extinguished with a Class A foam fire retardant.  They stopped the fire before it reached the attic, which was very lucky since the building didn’t have any kind of barrier between the top of the wall and attic framing and insulation.  They returned several times during the day to make sure the fire was out.  Some 4 x 4 posts were charred, and the 2 x 4 sill plates immediately adjacent to the wood burning stove needed to be replaced. 
 
This story has less to do with fire testing than what happens when fire gets into a straw bale wall, and how to extinguish it.  
 
Jim
 
 
Jim Reiland
Many Hands Builders
541-899-1166
541-200-9546 cell
jim at manyhandsbuilders.com <mailto:jim at manyhandsbuilders.com>
www.manyhandsbuilders.com <http://www.manyhandsbuilders.com/>



> On May 28, 2018, at 8:57 AM, Chris Magwood <chris at endeavourcentre.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I have a researcher who has asked me for information about case studies involving fires in straw bale houses. Has any kind of summary report ever been done? Anybody have any specific cases they could point toward?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Chris
> 
> -- 
> Chris Magwood
> Director, Endeavour Centre
> www.endeavourcentre.org
> 
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