About 5 weeks ago, I was on the roof of the LA Water and Power Building working on a cooling system.
I smelled something burning, popped my head up outta the unit I was working in, and saw the other half of the roof on fire.
It was flaming & smokin pretty good, and covering probably 150 by 100 feet. A rear fire escape stair exit well was engulfed too.
The LAPD helicopter approached and started circling maybe 150 feet above,, so I figured what the hell,, I'm going to take a shot at putting the fire out.
The roof and North stairwell had about 20 Class ABC fire extinguishers hung in the corners, around the elevators, here and there . I grabbed two of them, headed back to the south side and went to work.
I aimed for the base of the flames,, and the smoke from the burning tar and roofing material was nasty.
When the two extinguishers ran out,, I ran back to the North stairway and roof exit for more.
Several security people and others came out,, ran onto the roof, saw the fire, then panic'd and ran back into the stairway and fled the building.
I grabbed 2 more extinguishers and headed back to fight the flames.
The big ABC extinguishers are excellent. Remember even if they run out of propellant,, they still puke out powder that is very effective.
I remembered that in the Marines I learned nothing is fireproof,, nothing is industructable and it appeared to be true in this case,, everything on the South roof was burning the roof included.
I went through 22 fire extinguishers and got the flames under control. Outta nowhere,, a worker showed up behind me and started running more extinguishers from the North stairwell,, and floor below.
I was burning through the extinguishers, but stayed on because I saw I was making progress, and winning my fight with the fire.
What had apparantly happened was earlier someone came out on the roof and was smokeing, and carelessly left a lit cigarette, and it started the roof on fire, that quickly spread to equipment, chairs material, the roof and the building structure itself too..
I got the fire pretty much out when finally the LAFD came through the South exit door that was a few minutes earlier engulfed in flames.
They wet the area down to make sure it didn't re-light,, and before I knew it,, I was talking to arson investigators.
The LA Times story the next day showed LAFD firemen leaving the building,, and the story read 130 FireFighters fought the flames and put out the fire.
Eventually the real story came out,, and I got an Accomodation from the Comissioners today.
Be careful what ya believe when ya read the papers.