As communication and data cabling proliferate, commercial buildings are becoming increasingly vulnerable to fires that spread via combustible cabling in plenums and concealed spaces. The following fires are known to have breached office spaces and spread via cabling systems*:
- Seven Dials, London, September 1999
- Heathrow Airport, UK, December 1997
- Credit Lyonnaise Bank, Paris, May 1997
- Bangkok President Tower, Thailand, February 1997
- Montblanc Tunnel, France/Switzerland, March 1999
- Dusseldorf Airport, Germany, April 1996
- Rockefeller Center, New York, October 1996
- Garly Building, Hong Kong, November 1996
Source: The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.
The Seven Dials Fire
London, September 1999
A small fire started in a video editing company office in a Covent Garden warehouse, and escaped into the plenum space above the office via combustible cabling.
Despite a quick response to the building, firefighters were unable to contain or determine the center of the fire. A thick black smoke emanated throughout building, and an oily film covered the facemasks of the firefighters.
The fire spread via cabling in the ceilings and other concealed spaces and ultimately reaches throughout building. The fire was barely contained after a lengthy and dangerous effort, which ultimately destroyed the warehouse and threatened the neighborhood.
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