Fire extinguishers not part of code

After the fire Thursday in the Aggie Parking Terrace, USU Fire Marshal Steve Bell said there are no plans to place accessible fire extinguishers in the facility.

Because the parking terrace has a fire sprinkler system installed, Bell said extinguishers are not required by the International Fire Code. He also said they are not placed in the terrace out of concern for vandalism.

“I have considered installing extinguishers in the parking terrace, but when you consider the building and its use, plus all the of the vandalism and graffiti that the building is subject to, it was concluded that the extinguishers would be shot off or stolen,” he said. “I don’t think any extinguisher in there would last a week.”

There are two fire extinguishers in the Aggie Parking Terrace. However, they are only accessible to USU employees or law officials, Bell said. There is one in the mechanical room and the Visitor Information Center. The mechanical room is locked, and unless someone is working in the VIC, people can’t access it.

Bell said there are fire extinguishers in the Big Blue Terrace, north of the Taggart Student Center. He said there are two or three fire extinguishers on each level.

Had there been available extinguishers in the Aggie Parking Terrace during Thursday’s fire, Bell said he doesn’t think the fire could have been put out any sooner or that the damage could have been lessened. He said the deputy fire marshal, one of the first to arrive on the scene, discharged fire extinguishers but wasn’t able to directly target the engine compartment. Because of this, Bell said, “Even if there were extinguishers in the parking terrace, no one would have been able to get close enough to the fire to put it out.”

Bell said he doesn’t want students trying to put out a fire, even if extinguishers are available, especially one similar to the fire Thursday. He said the materials from which cars are made can be very dangerous, leading to possible unconsciousness, severe injuries to eyes, skin, lungs and even death.

“Since students are not trained as firefighters, nor do they have the protective ensemble that firefighters wear, bunker gear, SCBAs, masks, gloves, etc., that firefighters wear to protect themselves from the extreme heat and smoke, and they lack the necessary tools to open a car hood when there is an intense fire burning within the compartment,” he said. “They have no business trying to put the fire out. They are only asking to get themselves hurt or killed.”

-arie.k@aggiemail.usu.edu