03/23/2021
If you have houses in your district built before 1950, chances are they are balloon frame homes. There are a couple of common visual clues to help you identify a balloon frame home. The windows and even the doors line up. This is due to the building process, and the fact that studs run from the basement all the way to the attic. Windows and doors are placed in the same stud channel. You might also notice a window between the first and second floor. This window indicates the location of the stairs, and will help you know which direction to turn when trying to get to the second floor. Another feature that is common but not always present is an exterior door on the side of the home, located between the basement and first floor.
Balloon frame house fires are manpower intensive due the fact that fire can spread rapidly from floor to floor once it penetrates the wall. Unlike platform construction, balloon frame homes do not have any fire stops between floors. A fire in the basement can quickly extend to the first and second floor, and even the attic. Or a fire in a second floor bedroom can drop down through the wall into the basement. In either case, fire can quickly spread to each floor and the attic, requiring the need for an attack line on each floor and the need to poke numerous inspection holes in the walls to locate the spreading fire. Some of these older homes will even have shredded newspaper in the walls and floors for insulation. Obviously, this serves to accelerate the spread of fire.
These older homes frequently have passive floor vents in the ceiling of the first floor, allowing warm air to flow into the second floor. These vents allow fire from the first floor to quickly extend to the room above, compounding the spread of fire.
When fighting a fire in a balloon frame home, it is important to be proactive in getting crews on each floor to search for extension. As the IC, you should anticipate the need for additional manpower to man three, four, or even five attack lines. Balloon frame fires can be some of the most challenging house fires you will encounter.