By Dariush Shafa
The Messenger-Inquirer
OWENSBORO, Ky. — Multiple fires broke out at the Executive Inn on Saturday caused by demolition prep work being done ahead of the building’s planned Nov. 8 implosion.
Engine companies and a ladder truck from the Owensboro Fire Department responded to the call of the blaze, which was reported by the demolition company crews at the hotel, at 2:35 p.m. Firefighters cleared the scene at 7:15 p.m.
The fires, which caused no appreciable damage to the structure and caused no injuries, started after torches were used by crews trying to cut through the steel I-beams that make up the superstructure of the building.
The beams were being cut to “soften up” the building prior to the use of explosives to collapse the building in upon itself. The intense heat needed to saw through the beams touched off fires in various places around the seventh floor of the building, said Owensboro Fire Department Assistant Chief Bill VanWinkle.
Upon arrival, firefighters had to make a critical choice of whether or not they could actually fight the fires inside.
“The main concerns, of course, were with that large of a structure, the fact that it’s being demolished and the uncertainty of how stable it is,” VanWinkle said. “Prior to our entry, we discussed the stability of the building, what they had done and checked with them on their progress.”
The decision was made that the building was stable, VanWinkle said, and firefighters went in. If they hadn’t, VanWinkle said, the fire would have been allowed to make its own progress, which likely would have taken days.
“If we had felt there would have been any jeopardy of harm to (the firefighters), we would have pulled back,” VanWinkle said. “This was a no-brainer. It was figuring out whether you could put it out or if you had to let it go.”
Upon entering the structure, however, firefighters faced several challenges. A key stairwell had already been demolished, forcing firefighters to use alternate routes. Also, a major water supply on the west side of the building was damaged, forcing firefighters to use a ladder truck to rig a water supply to the seventh floor for firefighting operations.
As luck would have it, however, these very contingencies were among the scenarios that firefighters have practiced in the past week of using the Executive Inn as a training ground.
“It (the training) helped tremendously because it refreshed everybody on the department. ... We knew what we were going into. We knew the construction,” VanWinkle said. “The guys did an excellent job shifting gears.”
Firefighters fought three larger fires throughout the building caused by heat from the cutting of the beams. They also used thermal imaging cameras to hunt inside walls and find hot spots, which were doused before they could flare into actual fires.
VanWinkle said the demolition contractors were a big help to them in figuring out the situation.
“They’re super people. ... They were more than willing to go with our firefighters to show them where the fires were, though we didn’t take them,” VanWinkle said. “We’re going to work with them Monday before they resume cutting with the torches, making sure they have a water supply to prevent anything from happening in the future.”
Copyright 2009 Messenger-Inquirer