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Ambassador
6,392,929
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Wood does not combust as quickly as you may think, generally these fires start with something like curtains, carpets or cloth furniture.

And most wood in construction is covered with sheetrock which nearly eliminates the chances of it starting on fire unless the rest of the room gets extremely hot.

May 18, 2023 08:59 PM
Rainmaker
5,216,370
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

I have to agree with Bob Crane on this one. Also, a building 7 stories tall likely requires a fire suppression system.

May 19, 2023 04:32 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Most of our construction in Charlotte is stick-built. I have to think this was a one-off situation. And I don't expect that building standards will change as a result of this fire.

May 19, 2023 04:54 AM
Rainmaker
1,555,968
Gary Frimann, CRS, GRI, SRES
Eagle Ridge Realty / Signature Homes & Estates - Gilroy, CA
REALTOR and Broker

Wood frame homes seem to be preferred here in earthquake country as the studs flex more than metal studs, or so I'm told.

May 19, 2023 06:12 AM
Rainer
427,147
J.R. Schloemer
Kentucky Select Properties - Louisville, KY

Wow! That was quite some fire there. I am happy I am not involved in this one, it any capacity.

Wood is typically the material of choice around there. Have seen some new ones go up in the the past 12-24 months and they were wood. Honestly, I have a hard time believing many have the community's best interest in mind; just make more for themselves.

May 18, 2023 08:08 PM
Rainmaker
1,311,397
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Wow! That is quite a blaze.

Wood appears to be the most often used building material in my area but I am no expert. Taller buildings are likely to have metal in their construction to add strength and support.

May 19, 2023 07:03 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,133
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Sticks in the air is time honored & acceptable for building. Why wouldn't it be? MFG homes have their own dynamics as does log cabins, & all the rest. 

May 19, 2023 06:59 AM
Ambassador
4,692,913
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

Hmm, I don't know much about what is proper and what is not since I am not a contractor but I thought I heard that a certain number of stories had to be concrete and block as opposed to wood.

May 19, 2023 06:22 AM
Rainmaker
711,752
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

I would think 7 stories should be built with steel. 

May 19, 2023 11:59 AM
Ambassador
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Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

 

That is an INSANE fire, Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate

Appears to have started in a parking garage.  Wow, that certainly leaves a lot of unanswered questions. 

I will leave it at that. 

 

May 19, 2023 11:17 AM
Ambassador
2,061,632
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Most of the world still builds with wood.

May 19, 2023 07:24 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,472
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Our buildings are built with wood in Denver too, and do have fire alarm systems.   

May 19, 2023 06:59 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,271
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Don't know.  I did get a grin from seeing the front of that car melted off in the parking garage.

May 19, 2023 06:47 AM
Rainer
378,387
Don Baker
Lane Realty - Eatonton, GA
Lake Sinclair Specialist

Wood is cheaper and a renewable resource.  Metal won't warp and is lighter, but cutting metal on site takes a long time.  That's why you can build 3 apartment complexes in the time it takes to build 1 ship

May 21, 2023 01:51 PM
Ambassador
3,164,119
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

We don't have any 7 story buildings.  But yes, wood is what is used locally.  

wood is 1/3 the price of metal studs, won't rust and is easier to use and faster (nails vs screws)  to construct and safer for the workers. Wood is also more energy efficient because of thermal bridging ... bringing in heat and cold from the outside happens easier with metal studs than wood. 

Metal won't warp, bend, and is fire resistant and lighter.

May 21, 2023 01:42 PM
Rainmaker
911,228
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

Fire risk is higher during construction. Most condo buildings here are required to have sprinkler systems. Once buildings are completed, fire risk goes way down.

May 20, 2023 07:28 AM
Rainmaker
901,493
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

Our area primarily uses wood. How unfortunate there were lost lives. 

May 20, 2023 07:05 AM
Ambassador
5,229,939
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Oh my! This was in my stomping grounds, Fred - and as a matter of fact, we just placed my MIL in the retirement facility (the Barclay) that kept being referred to in the newscasts about this fire. They were poised for evacuation but, thankfully, the 5-alarm fire was under control before that had to happen.

Many of our buildings here are stick-built but, not all. I'm curious to see if the developer of these apartments goes the concrete route as many have done in the past decade and a half here in Charlotte. It's not only a safer, more structurally sound build but, those built with concrete walls here are known to be more soundproof. 

My husband is a native Charlottean and lived in SouthPark until I moved him to South Charlotte in 2007. We wound up moving back to SouthPark 7 years later and now, to the lake! Most of my business is in and around that area and there was NO going through there during the fire. SouthPark shut down for the day!  

May 21, 2023 01:20 PM