Worldwide Reach: 8 Major Fire Events This Year

As we pass the halfway point of 2017, we stop to take a look at major fire events of 2017 that have captured headlines and impacted ongoing discussions of fire protection and life safety around the world.
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1. Chile Wildfires
January 20, 2017 | Central and Southern Chile

Major fires in Chile destroyed roughly 385,000 acres in central and southern Chile where strong winds, hot temperatures and a lack of rain prolonged a firefight that lasted over two weeks [1]. The blaze has claimed over 1,000 homes, 11 lives, and has led to a state of emergency with some international firefighting aid [2]. President Michelle Bachelet: "We have never seen anything on this scale, never in the history of Chile" [3].

More Reading: Al Jazeera, CNN, The Telegraph
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2. HTI Factory Fire
February 1, 2017 at 6:00pm | General Trias, Cavite, Philippines
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An apparent equipment overheating brought about a major fire at a 3-story factory in General Trias, Cavite, Philippines [1]. The factory regularly housed over 3,000 workers as it had at the time of the fire. Fortunately there were no reported fatalities, but reported serious injuries including major burns range between 80-120 persons [2]. Losses are estimated at P15 billion, or nearly $300 million and over 10,000 jobs have been reported to be affected by the fire [3].

More Reading: CNN Philippines, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN News
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3. Guatemala Orphanage Fire
March 8, 2017 | San Jose Pinula, Guatemala

A fire broke out and killed at least 40 girls in an an orphanage which housed nearly 800 children in San Jose Pinula, Guatamala [1]. According to interviews from the Washington Post, the fire was started by igniting mattresses as protests to continued mistreatment and abuse [2]. The event has sparked a continued debate of the role of orphanages and poverty of children in the region [3].

More Reading: Reuters, The Guardian, Washington Post
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4. Grenfell Tower Fire
June 14, 2017 at 12:54 am | West London, England

An apparent faulty refrigerator-freezer [1] started a fire that lasted a over a full day before controlled and took nearly three before being extinguished. The 24-story residential tower block housed 129 flats where the fire claimed at least 80 deaths [2]. A major contributor to the acceleration and spread of the fire was the combustibility of the plastic-based exterior cladding and sub-surface insulation [3]. The tower did not contain a fire sprinkler system and has since prompted discussion on use of exterior cladding for similar structures.

More Reading: BBC News, The Telegraph, ABC News
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5. Portuguese Wildfires
June 18, 2017 | Central Portugal

An apparent lighting strike is believed to have started a blaze that has reportedly killed as many as 70 people in Portugal [1]. Many of the victims were found fleeing the fires in vehicles as a result of 'dry thunderstorms', where water evaporates before reaching the ground due to high temperatures [2]. Although wildfires are not necessarily unusual, the death toll and spread of the fire was unique and likely aided by high temperatures and lack of precipitation in the area [3].

More Reading: BBC, CNN, Independent, NBC
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6. Oil Tanker Explosion
June 25, 2017 at 6:00am | Bahawalpur, Pakistan

An overturned truck carrying over 25,000 liters (6,500 gallons) on a major highway in Pakistan resulted in the deaths of over 200 people [1]. The initial accident resulted in the overturned tanker leaking considerable fuel, where residents of nearby villages quickly gathered to collect the fuel [2]. Analysts reported the reaction as not surprising given the local problems in fuel shortages and poverty [2]. Although the cause of the fire is unknown, it has been speculated that gatherers at the scene began smoking cigarettes and using cell phones which may have sparked fuel vapors, causing the explosion [3].

More Reading: Al Jazeera, BBC News, CNN, NY Times
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7. Camden Lock Market Fire
July 10, 2017 at 12:10 am | North London, England

Less than a month after the Grenfell Tower fire, a famous and popular open-air market housing more than 1,000 different shops, restaurants, and other venues in North London was the location of a large scale fire. Fortunately there were not fatalities resulting from the blaze, although losses are estimated in the millions of pounds including to iconic buildings that date as far back as the late nineteenth century [1]. Suppression efforts lasted roughly three hours before being under control and the cause has yet to be identified [2].

More Reading: BBC News, The Guardian, The Telegraph
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8. Honolulu Highrise Fire
July 14, 2017 | Honolulu, Hawaii

Three people died and a dozen injured as a result of a five-hour fire that began on the 26th floor of a high-rise apartment in Honolulu [1]. No sprinklers were installed in the building, which was built in 1971 prior to local sprinkler requirements for highrises beginning in 1974 [2]. The event has agitated a long-continued debate about retroactively requiring sprinklers in high-rise buildings throughout the United States, including Honolulu's mayor who said the city needs to reevaluate current legislation [3].

More Reading: ABC, CNN, NPR, Washington Post
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