BUFFALO, N.Y. — Investigators are now looking into the situation that turned from controlled to chaos in a matter of seconds, with the Buffalo Fire commissioner pointing to a backdraft as the possible spark.
“When they first entered the structure, it was actually pretty clear,” Buffalo Fire Chief William Renaldo said. “But then it deteriorated very rapidly because they did introduce oxygen when they entered the building.”
In order for a fire to burn, it needs heat, fuel, and oxygen.
A backdraft occurs when a smoldering fire sucks up all of the oxygen in a space to the point where the fire starts to die down.
Once additional air quickly enters, typically after opening a door or window, the new oxygen mixes with the pre-existing heat and fuel, reigniting the fire with explosive force.
“A backdraft is a very rare occurrence,” Renaldo said. “It's very rare.”
According to the commissioner, in the hours leading up to the fire, construction workers working with torches on the exterior of the building caused heat to transfer through openings in the mortar, fueling the fire and allowing it to smolder.
Firefighters then believed that part of the building was clear, but upon entering caused the backdraft after abruptly allowing oxygen to flow without ventilating ahead of time.
“Controlled ventilation is the best,” Renaldo said. “It's our best defense against that, which means opening windows, horizontal ventilation, and vertical ventilation. It's very important.”
But the commissioner stood by the actions of his crew, saying no mistakes were made with the backdraft or the response to the fire.
“As I stated, the building was clear,” he said. “It was safe to enter at the time, and the chief made that determination, so I cannot say there were any mistakes made it that fire.”