Monte Carlo in Vegas

[Wheel-Nut]

is burning. The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire, forget about the water let the . . . . .

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

[KLang]

http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/US/01/25/vegas.fire/t1home.las.vegas.fire.ktnv.jpg

How the heck does a fire start all the way up there? :confused: AC equipment maybe? Elevators?

[cameraman]

Looks like the top four or five floors are pretty well burned out. I'd imagine the water damage for the rest of the place will be extensive. Looks to be one spendy fire. There is more fire out of the frame of that picture to the right on the same floor as that single lower plume of smoke.

[coolhand]

How much do you guys think has to burn for that place to be "totaled"

[Methanolandbrats]

Does it really matter if all that fake **** burns down?

[SteveH]

Its CART's fault.

[Dirk Diggler]

Its CART's fault.

You can't see the flame in a methanol fire.

[KLang]

Watched a bit of video on CNN's website. Fire appears to be out now. Looks to me like it started on the top floor.

They were saying the facade is covered with some sort of foam that is flamable. :saywhat:

[TravelGal]

Was just rhetorically asking some agent friends what that facade could be made of because it clearly carried the fire. Foam makes sense. It's lightweight and moldable so any shape you want.

They are now saying there were welders on the roof. OMG. I hope their insurance coverage is high and paid up.

[Wheel-Nut]

It's probably EIFS. EIFS stands for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems. The architects around here spec it out quite a bit.

[Dirk Diggler]

They were saying the facade is covered with some sort of foam that is flamable. :saywhat:

What???!!!

Those aren't real parapets??? The magic is gone.

[cameraman]

It's probably EIFS. EIFS stands for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems. The architects around here spec it out quite a bit.

Expanded Polystyrene base layers on that stuff. In a place like Vegas it is probably several inches thick to insulate the place from the heat. The outer layers are usually pretty fire resistant but if the underlying EPS gets burning you got trouble. I saw an article a while back on how much hotter structure fires burn now that there is so much foam, vinyl and other hydrocarbon-based materials used in modern construction.

[JoeBob]

CNN.com is reporting that the fire was almost entirely on the exterior of the building. It started on the roof where some welding was being done...

[SteveH]

I saw an article a while back on how much hotter structure fires burn now that there is so much foam, vinyl and other hydrocarbon-based materials used in modern construction.

Saw something on that also. And it's only over the past 20 years that this has occurred. Not only hotter but much more deadly fumes, too.

[Elmo T]

Saw something on that also. And it's only over the past 20 years that this has occurred. Not only hotter but much more deadly fumes, too.

Today's fires are, in very general terms, hotter/faster/more toxic than the fires of 20 years ago. New building materials, interior finishes, and furniture generate all sorts of toxic gases: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, etc. Smoke is only the visual product of combustion.

Plastics and foam essentially equal solid gasoline, at least as BTU's and the rate of heat release go.

*** stepping up on my Fire Marshal's soap box *** This is why you need to have WORKING smoke alarms in your house. Also, as 80% of all fire deaths occur in the home, be sure to know at least two ways out and practice getting out - especially if you have kids. Lastly, if you are having a home built, seriously consider have a residential fire sprinkler system installed. The systems normally cost less than $2 per square foot. They've become mandatory in many communties.

I know return you to your normally scheduled program. ;)

[Easy]

I stayed in the top floor of that place a couple months ago. Open bar in the center of the floor. Got the evenings off to a quick start and made for a nasty 7 am flight home.

[dando]

Today's fires are, in very general terms, hotter/faster/more toxic than the fires of 20 years ago. New building materials, interior finishes, and furniture generate all sorts of toxic gases: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, etc. Smoke is only the visual product of combustion.

Plastics and foam essentially equal solid gasoline, at least as BTU's and the rate of heat release go.

*** stepping up on my Fire Marshal's soap box *** This is why you need to have WORKING smoke alarms in your house. Also, as 80% of all fire deaths occur in the home, be sure to know at least two ways out and practice getting out - especially if you have kids. Lastly, if you are having a home built, seriously consider have a residential fire sprinkler system installed. The systems normally cost less than $2 per square foot. They've become mandatory in many communties.

I know return you to your normally scheduled program. ;)

I just have a hard time taking fire safety advice from this guy:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/how-elmo-works-1.jpg

:D

-Kevin

[RichK]

http://hackedgadgets.com/wp-content/_elmo_fire_safety.JPG

[racermike]

http://www.synapticblur.com/pics/inlivingcolor03.jpg

Fire Marshall Bill must have been demonstrating how not to try using an oxy-acetylene torch to light your cigarettes.

[Elmo T]

http://hackedgadgets.com/wp-content/_elmo_fire_safety.JPG

:thumbup: :thumbup:

And like I don't hear the Fire Marshal Bill joke twenty times a day... ;)

Jim Carey when he was actually funny and not trying to be serious actor.

[oddlycalm]

Today's fires are, in very general terms, hotter/faster/more toxic than the fires of 20 years ago. New building materials, interior finishes, and furniture generate all sorts of toxic gases: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, etc. Smoke is only the visual product of combustion. Ironic that some countries have mandated use of fire resistant building material while in the US we have gone in the opposite direction...:gomer:

oc

[cameraman]

Ever been in a private home in someplace like Switzerland? US homes are absolute crap in comparison.

[Dirk Diggler]

Jim Carey when he was actually funny ...

I don't remember him ever being funny.:thumdown: