Douglas County fire fighters urge apartment tenants to learn fire risks
WINCHESTER & SUTHERLIN, Ore. (KMTR) -- More than a week after a human-caused fire destroyed 12 apartment units near Roseburg, Douglas County Fire District #2 is trying to get the word out about apartment complex safety, looking at the differences in construction.
Friday, July 30th, 2010, DCFD #2 fire officials lead a tour through fire-ravaged apartments at the Saddle Butte Apartment Complex in Winchester and a new apartment complex in Sutherlin.
DCFD #2 fire officials say apartment renters should be aware of the fire risks of moving into older apartment buildings and new apartment complexes.
Newer complexes use many more fire resistant materials, mostly concrete. At the “Falcon Ridge Apartments” in Sutherlin, siding, stairways and deck surfaces are all made of concrete, as per fire code. Doors are also made of metal and mandatory sprinkler systems are strung throughout the inside of each unit, also out on back decks.
At the Saddle Butte Apartment Complex, which was built in the 1960’s and 70’s under different fire code, many of the surfaces, doors and decks were made of wood. The complex also lacked a sprinkler system.
“They are safe units, just when one of those catches on fire, without an automatic sprinkler system, the chance of it spreading to more than one unit is great,” says Roger Johnson, a Fire Battalion Chief for Douglas County Fire District #2.
Referencing newer apartment complexes, “the chance of this unit catching fire and getting to the size of the fire that happened at Saddle Butte is very small,” says Johnson.
Modern sprinkler heads are often easy to miss. Instead of pronged nozzles hanging from the ceiling, many contractors use sprinkler heads that look like flat circles.
No one was hurt in the Saddle Butte Apartment fire, but 12 units were destroyed. Many of those units contained personal belongings of tenants.
Douglas County Fire District #2 investigators determined the fire started from an improperly extinguished cigarette, placed in a plastic bowl.
