
Common before modern refrigeration and the advent of the supermarket, legacy cold storage warehouses, built before 1930, still sparsely dot the American landscape today. It’s almost impossible to tell their construction features from the outside; most resemble a heavy timber mill type building, three to five stories tall. There’s one noticeable difference, however: the lack of windows or openings on upper floors.
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The interiors could be timber, concrete, or a mix of both, but one thing was always a guarantee—the presence of combustable insulation. Whether asphalt-coated cork paneling or sawdust fill these buildings, they remain one of the most daunting fires a department can respond, presenting altered layouts, a lack of egress, and floors that allowed unimpeded vertical fire extension. Firefighters must knowing as much about these buildings before they’re on fire for any chance at success.
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JOSEPH PRONESTI is the chief of the Elyria (OH) Fire Department. He is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Executive Officer program and a lead instructor at the Cuyahoga (OH) County Community College Fire Academy. He is a frequent contributor to fire service publications and sites, including Fire Engineering and FirefigherNation.com.
CHRISTOPHER TOBIN is a firefighter assigned to St. Louis (MO) Fire Department Rescue 2.
ALEXIS SHADY is a firefighter/paramedic with the University City (MO) Fire Department.