St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-16
SPRINkLERS NOT SUFFICIENT.
Chicago Expert Discusses the Re-
cent Minneapolis Fire,


w. c. Robinson, sprinkler Inspector
for the Chicago Underwriters associa-
ton, was sent by it's manager, H. III.
Gl1dden, to Minneapolis to view the
ruins of the recent elevator fire and
report He addressed Mr.. GIidden thus:
In compliance with your instruc-
tions [ visited Minneapolis March 5,
and made careful investigation of
the fire which destroyed the Minneapo-
lis Terminal elevator, Az paying par
ticular attention to the part played by
the Grinnell sprinkler equipment, with
which this elevator was equipped.
THE elevator was ITO feet high, 80
feet wide, and 240 feet long, with de-
tached boiler and engine house, and
was equipped in 1898 with about 1,45O
Grinnell sprinklers, two dry pipe sys-
TENS. The primary source of water
supply was from two pressure tanks,
each having a water capacity Of 5000
gallons, one tank being located in g.
companion elevator, AL about 100 feet
distant. The secondary source was
from a Knowles underwriters fire
pump, having a capacity of 1000 gal
Ions per minute, and taking it's suction
from a cistern Of about $4,000 gallons
capacity The cistern was filled through
four-inch city connection. The equip
ment also received an additional source
Of water supply through a six-inch
city connection from a siXteen-inch
street main, furnishing about 80 pounds
pressure at grade. '
''The failure of the sprinklers in this
fire may be attributed to the following
conditions:
"First-The rapid spread of the fire. due to
the open stair shaft, the draught and the
highly inaammable condition of the dusty
woodwork.
"Second-The slowness with which dry
pipe system of this size, with an air pressure
of forty pounds or over, must necessary act.
"Third-The inability of sprinklers to prop
erly spray all sides of the shaft with a suff-
cient volume of water to eXtinguish a fire
having any great headway. This is due to the
fact that the sprinklers were placed about
seven feet from one wall and under the stair
landings, which are on one side Of the shaft
thus allowing a fire in the open space occu-
pied by the main belt to burn up by the
sprinklers.
at is also probable that the action of the
sprinklers was retarded somewhat by the fall
ing of the remaining system at the same time,
or shortly after, the action of the system pro-
is not known, although the most probable
cause seems to be from the steam pipes for
protecting the water connections or the spon-
taneous combustion Of waste or dirt on these
pipes. The machinery had not been operated
for forty-two hours previous to the fire. This
fire again calls attention to the necessity of
providing several substantial cut-offs or hatch
es in all open stairways, belt shafts, or open
communications between the first and bin
floors of grain elevator. In a sprinkled
elevator this is absolutely essential, the
open communications between floors large
areas and draughts all tend to place the
sprinklers at disadvantage. The dry pipe
system in elevator equipments are often very
much larger and the air pressure maintained
in the piping very much higher than neces-
sary, which materially affects the promptness
with which the system will act in case of fire.
The equipment should also be divided across
the elevator instead Of lengthwise, as was the
case in the Minneapolis elevator as the
chances for the operating Of two systems at
one time are materially lessened under the
former arrangement.
"WhiIe the conditions in the sprinlled ele-
vators in Chicago not as serious as eX-
listed in Az still the placing of proper cut
offs in the open stairways and the installing
of additional sprinklers under all such cut
offs is a precaution which should be taken as
soon as it is possible to do so. Improve
ments of this character have already been
commenced in several Of the Minneapolis ele-
vators."