The insurance industry has been experiencing more large losses than in the past, as seen in the QVC warehouse fire on December 19th. The fire quickly became the biggest structure fire in NC history, taking 10 days to put out the fire, 75% of the building was destroyed and 1,900 jobs were lost, costing the company $250 million dollars in damages alone.
As Efficiency Rises, So Does Risk
As Efficiency Rises, So Does Risk Warehousing rent rates have been on the rise causing tenants to compact the space with products, leading to more fires. Fires can quickly spread through a warehouse with an abundant amount of products. Dividing a warehouse with fire partitions stops spread of fire and allows more time for emergency services to put any fires that occur.
Effectiveness of Sprinklers
Make sure to test sprinklers regularly and make sure there are no clogs, or obstructions. The sprinkler will not deploy in time if they are painted over or if there is dust on the glass bulb. It is also advisable to know what is being stored in the warehouse, how those products are being stored, and what sprinklers are meant for your products.
Planning and Communications
Knowing what the warehouse is being used for, what systems are in place and if those systems are working are key to preventing a large loss due to a warehouse fire.
Sources: WVRAL News ‘Largest Structure fire in NC history’
Burns and Willcox QVC Warehouse disaster
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