Blaze ... a 31-storey skyscraper in Madrid was gutted after a fire consumed it for more than 20 hours
Posted on 02/14/2005 7:59:21 AM PST by yankeedame
Blaze ... a 31-storey skyscraper in Madrid was gutted after a fire consumed it for more than 20 hours
The fire broke out on the 21st floor of Madrid's Windsor building after an apparent short circuit.
The fire was so large it lit the city of Madrid for a radius of several kilometres with an eerie glow.
The building burned so fiercely it could clearly be seen from many kilometres away.
Luckily there was no one in the building when it went up in flames.
The stresses caused by the intense heat of the fire caused the top of the building to buckle dangerously.
The skyscraper was left a twisted, smoking wreck by the intense heat.
A thick pall of smoke smothering Madrid meant the city experienced a subdued start to the day.
Firefighters do what they can to control the fire devestating the 106m-tall building
Firefighters take a break from their hopeless task of saving the skyscraper. Authorities fear the building may have been terminally weakened by the heat.
Thick smoke shrouds the ruins. There were no reported deaths from the blaze.
The fire was finally quenched more than 20 hours after it first broke out. Seven firefighters suffered from smoke inhalation fighting the blaze.
This woman surveys the extent of the damage in the light of day. Dozens of families were evacuated from the area. Pictures: Reuters, AFP, AP
It didn't take an airplane or a boxcutter.
Sicilian Lightning?
Wow, that's a fire! Unbelievable.
This building must have had some lousy fireproofing and sprinkler systems. Why was the blaze so out of control?
"It didn't take an airplane or a boxcutter."
Nor did this tower collapse under far-more intense heat.
What makes you think this fire had more intense heat? It certainly didn't have over 10,000 gallons of jet fuel to feed it...
The heat from flaming building materials would be far-less intense than the flames of burning jet fuel.
Its amazing that there were no casualties.
It sure looks like it was collasping to me.
If this building had been 70 stories taller, it would have been a different outcome.
It's still going to have to be imploded though, I suspect, and this task will be strongly complicated by the fire.
-Eric
Incredible pictures!
It was announced today that City of Madrid is going to be responsible for the demolition, because it is such a huge project and could affect the subway lines that run through the area, etc.
They are also reviewing laws on fire suppression systems for buildings over 10 stories in height. This building was built in the 70s and apparently didn't have much in the way of an automatic fire suppression system.
"The heat from flaming building materials would be far-less intense than the flames of burning jet fuel."
Not true. Jet fuel burns at 800 deg. This fire, according to the article, was over 1000 degrees.
"What makes you think this fire had more intense heat?"
The fact that its 1000 degree temps are hotter than burning jet fuel and the fact that, unlike either WTC, it burned for over 20 hours -- without collapsing.
Nor did this tower experience the shock of having a passenger jet deliberately ram it at full speed.
The coincidental timing is extraordinary..
What appears to be an outside elevator might have acted as a stiffener, preventing the total collapse.
That is true, but depending on how rapidly the fuel is oxygenated and air flow conditions the developed temperature can be much more.
I wonder if the evil son in law from "Towering Inferno" also did the electrical on this building?
I wondered about that and thought it was one of those huge trash chutes they use when in construction and renovating so the debris will not be blown away in the wind.
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