Simulation of a Fire in a Hillside Residential Structure--San Francisco

Two firefighters died from injuries sustained while fighting a June 2, 2011, fire in a multi-story, single-family dwelling in San Francisco. NIST used its Fire Dynamics Simulator and visualization software to investigate the circumstances and fire behavior that led to untenable conditions on the first floor, where the downed firefighters were found. After failure of windows in the basement, where the fire began, an adjoining stairway became a “chimney for hot gases” that poured onto the first floor. For more, read the NIST study report (NIST TN 1856).

[@flashpointequipment9713]

Thank you NIST for these FDS simulations to help us better understand the fire behavior in multi-story building scenarios and work to avoid these tragedies in the future.

[@bensanders43]

Thank you for your relentless dedication and contributions to the American Fire Service.

[@Kidney_Thief]

One of the Firefighters (Anthony Valerio) in this video was my older brother.

[@NIST]

Thanks for checking out our videos. Please add your comments and let us know what you think.We will be reviewing and then posting comments as long as they are on topic, respectful and do not promote specific products or services. 

[@tonystephens4083]

Great video. Europe and Australia are now using Compartment Fire Behaviour Training as a basis for their firefighting techniques. This video did not address the effect firefighters opening doors have on introducing oxygen into a ventilation caused fire. Research shows opening of doors and manual ventilation by firefighters on a ventilation controlled fire can increase fire behaviour significantly by adding oxygen to an oxygen starved environment.

[@SoCalFreelance]

The recent Annapolis, MD fire would be an interesting case study. How could six people not escape from a 16,000 sqft house with multiple smoke detectors?

[@EKWisner]

Thanks for this great video. Reference note (correction):
The NIOSH report mentioned at 10:30 or so (#2012-18) is not about this particular incident - it discusses a similar multi-story residential fire in Illinois the following year.
This California hillside incident is described in NIOSH FACE report 2011-13. www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/pdfs/face201113.pdf