A fire broke out in a storage facility located in the north of Jordan. By the time the Jordanian Civil Defence could put out the fire, considerable damage had been done to the warehouse.
Less than an hour before the security guard first noticed the fire, a company security inspector made a surprise visit to the site. Nothing seemed out of place; all fire safety procedures were followed closely, including a strict no-smoking policy and an equally strict policy banning all heating devices in the building. The inspector left satisfied, having no reason to believe that within less than an hour a million dollars’ worth of electrical components stored in the warehouse would become unsalvageable due to a fire.
Expert Involvement
CEERISK was instructed to investigate the cause and origin of the fire and to provide expert advice to assist in the loss adjustment of the claim.
To achieve the greatest understanding of how the fire unfolded, CEERISK experts began their investigation by collecting eyewitness testimony from those on the scene of the fire, including from the security guard who discovered and reported the fire. During these interviews, experts learned of the complications that arose while battling the fire. The electricity in the warehouse was on when the Civil Defence arrived, forcing them to wait until the electrical current was disconnected before they could approach the burning building. Further complications arose even after the fire was left dwindling, as powerful, consistent winds continued to rekindle the embers.
Armed with this additional information, investigators turned to the building itself in search of any clues that could point to the cause of the fire.
Bridging the Gap
Analysis of the building revealed no signs of smoking and that there were no heating devices on-site. The only ignition source found in a room at the corner of the warehouse was the wiring to the fluorescent light fixture that was once suspended from the ceiling, which had been removed by police.
Despite not having access to the light fixture, experts continued their investigation with what remained in the room. Signs of electrical arcing were identified on the severed wires. Experts determined that an electrical arc in the wires powering the light fixture caused the plywood ceiling to ignite. The fire spread from there, engulfing the entire building with the help of strong winds.
But what caused the electrical arc? Examination of the wiring in the room and outside the warehouse revealed that the circuit wires were wrapped around the drain pipe in an adjacent building which was welded to the bottom of the gutters. In the presence of strong winds on the night of the fire, the drain pipe collapsed and dragged the wires down with it. Despite a strict adherence to company safety regulations, no individual could have predicted the dire consequences caused by the weather. Thankfully, experts piecing together what was left in the aftermath of the fire were able to identify those causes.
