VIDEO: Addressing the media from the scene of a condo fire in Fern Creek, Fire Chief Mike Schmidt said this:
“Today’s construction burns much faster than older homes. Newer construction is going to burn much quicker and easier due to the light weight of it.”
He’s right. Here’s why.
The UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute did an in-depth research and simulation project, where they created mock-ups of a modern living room and a legacy living room, with corresponding furniture in each. They then set each on fire. The modern living room was completely in flames in about 4 minutes, whereas it took the legacy living room about a half hour to be engulfed.