Investigating structures affected by fire damage

With structural fire damage featured in the news lately, it’s important to highlight the vital role Structural Engineers have in inspecting, assessing and restoring the structure back to operation.

Our inspections include:

• Ascertaining the extent to which the structure has been affected by the fire.
• Identifying any elements which might be unsafe or at risk of collapse in the short term.
• Setting down a strategy for a safe approach to clearing the debris and making safe the structure for the short to medium term, until rebuilding is undertaken.
• Informing the process of decision as to the extent of demolition/rebuilding and repair required.

Seedlee Road, Preston

We inspected a fire damaged factory building, where the structure remained standing however the adjacent connected building had collapsed following the fire and was to be demolished.  MNP advised on the structural repairs necessary to reinstate the remaining building which was to be re-clad, the steel frame cleaned, grit blasted and repainted.  Additional remedial works included replacement of some columns and beams, replacement of areas of the floor slab and a regime of steelwork testing to prove that the material properties of steel frame elements were unaffected by the heat of the fire.  Meanwhile, a new manufacturing and office facility was constructed to replace the one destroyed by the fire.

Festival Way, Basildon

Extensive fire damage occurred at a warehouse facility.  MNP carried out a visual walk-around survey of the steel portal frame construction to assess the extent of the damage.  The roof structure had completely collapsed as a result of loss of strength due to the high temperature of the fire, whilst steel rafters and columns were twisted and buckled.  We concluded that the structural frame and cladding were damaged beyond repair, and other areas were deemed uneconomically repairable.  The structure was demolished, and a new industrial unit built.

175-179 Oxford Street, London

MNP investigated this five-storey building after a fire caused serious damage.  With the fire starting on the second floor, the upper storeys had been directly affected by the fire; steel beams were exposed and twisted, joists and timbers charred, multiple sections had collapsed, and debris was causing heavy loads.  The lower floors, although unaffected by the fire, had become extremely wet from the fire-fighting water.  As a result, the upper floors were assessed to have been weakened by the fire damage.  Whilst the structure below second floor had not been significantly affected, full demolition was determined to be the most viable option.  MNP engineered a 7-storey steel framed structure over a new basement, which was constructed within two years.