Construction and renovation fires

Construction and renovation are common circumstances for fires, which present particular difficulties to firefighters.

During construction, buildings often do not have elements that would protect them from fire, such as walls and sprinkler systems.^[1] Poor water supplies and the accumulation of flammable materials also present risks.^[2] Works often require heat or even open flame, and these can set off fires that smoulder for hours before being noticed. For this reason, work sites may need 24-hour fire watches.^[3]

Builder's risk insurance may cover damage from such fires.

Table

Legend
Probable cause found
Cause unknown
Under investigation

Notable construction and renovation fires
Fire	Date	Probable cause	Refs
SS Normandie	1942	sparks from a welding torch, during conversion to troopship
Saint Boniface Cathedral	1968	started in roof by worker's cigarette	^[4]
Nantes Cathedral	1972	an oxy-fuel torch used in the attic	^[5]
Montreal Biosphere	1976	spark from a welding torch being used on steel girders; welder's extinguisher proved empty, so fire spread to the acrylic glazing	^[6]
Hotel Margaret, Brooklyn	1980	possibly caused by space heater used by workers^{[failed verification]}	^[7]
MS Bergensfjord	1980	fire broke out during reconstruction work^[how?]	^[8]
Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, Massachusetts	1982	blowtorch set fire to roof timbers during restoration	^[9]
Uppark, Sussex	1989	roof re-leading	^[10]
Windsor Castle	1992	incandescent spotlight, permanently installed too close to the altar curtains behind which it was hidden, was accidentally turned on by restorers unfamiliar with the light switches; curtain decomposed over several days	^[3]^[11]^[12]
Limoges-Bénédictins station	1998	thermal conduction to timbers from hot working of copper roofing during restoration	^[13]
Central Synagogue, Manhattan	1998	blowtorch used to install air conditioning on roof	^[14]
University of Kentucky Main Building	2001	thought to be welding torch used to repair guttering	^[15]^[16]
St. Catherine's Church, Gdańsk	2006	started in roof, short circuit of a tinkered cable	^[17]
Trinity Cathedral, Saint Petersburg	2006	originated in exterior scaffolding^[vague]	^[18]^[19]
Cutty Sark	2007	industrial vacuum cleaner was left on overnight and overheated; 24-hour firewatchers were absent and keeping false inspection logs	^[20]^[21]
Universal Studios Hollywood	2008	started when worker used blowtorch to heat asphalt shingles	^[22]
Heydar Aliyev Center	2012	negligent use of welding equipment	^[23]
Hôtel Lambert, Paris	2013	under investigation, started in roof	^[24]^[25]
Basilica of St. Donatian and St. Rogatian, Nantes	2015	oxy-fuel torch used to repair lead gutter.^[26]	^[5]
Battersea Arts Centre, London	2015	under investigation, started in roof	^[27]^[28]
Mackintosh Building, Glasgow School of Art (2018)	2018	2022 investigation report could not identify cause	^[29]
Notre-Dame de Paris	2019	under investigation; as of 2020^[update], thought to be either a cigarette or a short circuit in the temporary wiring for the reconstruction works	^[3]^[30]
Børsen	2024	under investigation	^[31]

References

External links

Media related to Construction and renovation fires at Wikimedia Commons

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Construction and renovation fires

Contents

Table

See also

References

External links