Curtis Lumber warehouse fire caused by recalled light fixture
PITTSFIELD – Fire investigators believe a high-intensity discharge light fixture was the cause of a fire that destroyed a Curtis Lumber warehouse last week.
“Basically our highest probable cause was the HID discharge light in southeast portion of the structure,” said Otsego County Emergency Service Coordinator Lyle “Butch” Jones.
Jones said the HID fixture was an “older style” which was recalled by the manufacturer but one acceptable fix to its defect was to attach a modification around the light instead, which was the case at the storage building.
The results of the investigation involved members of the Otsego County Fire Investigation Team, the Otsego County Sheriff’ Office and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Jones said the HID light was about 10 to 15 times larger than a domestic 100 watt light bulb and that the filament was explosive under certain conditions.
“When they blow, it’s kind of like a mini grenade. It has a much larger filament that dispersed this material all over the place,” he said.
Jones said the suspected light was positioned above a mezzanine with insulation wrapped in plastic and paper packaging beneath.
All questions concerning the fire were deferred by Curtis Lumber Store Manager John Sheldon to the company’s press relations representative, who has not returned phone calls.
Jones said the company was insured for the damage and that the light was not in violation of any building code.
More than 100 firefighters from 14 different departments across two counties responded to a warehouse fire at around 3:21 p.m., Dec. 29 at 106 County Highway 18 in the Town of Pittsfield. The fire engulfed the entire 60-foot-by-200-foot building and all the materials stored inside.
According to its web site, Curtis Lumber is a family-owned lumber and home improvement business which has 22 locations in New York and northern Vermont with over 600 employees and over $150 million in sales. It also has locations in Norwich, Greene and Sherburne.
“Basically our highest probable cause was the HID discharge light in southeast portion of the structure,” said Otsego County Emergency Service Coordinator Lyle “Butch” Jones.
Jones said the HID fixture was an “older style” which was recalled by the manufacturer but one acceptable fix to its defect was to attach a modification around the light instead, which was the case at the storage building.
The results of the investigation involved members of the Otsego County Fire Investigation Team, the Otsego County Sheriff’ Office and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Jones said the HID light was about 10 to 15 times larger than a domestic 100 watt light bulb and that the filament was explosive under certain conditions.
“When they blow, it’s kind of like a mini grenade. It has a much larger filament that dispersed this material all over the place,” he said.
Jones said the suspected light was positioned above a mezzanine with insulation wrapped in plastic and paper packaging beneath.
All questions concerning the fire were deferred by Curtis Lumber Store Manager John Sheldon to the company’s press relations representative, who has not returned phone calls.
Jones said the company was insured for the damage and that the light was not in violation of any building code.
More than 100 firefighters from 14 different departments across two counties responded to a warehouse fire at around 3:21 p.m., Dec. 29 at 106 County Highway 18 in the Town of Pittsfield. The fire engulfed the entire 60-foot-by-200-foot building and all the materials stored inside.
According to its web site, Curtis Lumber is a family-owned lumber and home improvement business which has 22 locations in New York and northern Vermont with over 600 employees and over $150 million in sales. It also has locations in Norwich, Greene and Sherburne.
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