Report: Fire burned inside New Albany apartment complex day before crews were called
NEW ALBANY, IN (WAVE) – A fire burned for 45 minutes inside of an apartment unit that was under construction just one day before flames took over the building, causing it to be ruled a complete loss, according to a report by the New Albany Fire Department.
The fire that destroyed the Breakwater apartment complex on Feb. 25 was ruled accidental. The report cited "arcs and sparks, carelessness, lack of or disregard of fire safety principles, and open flame" as the cause of the fire that stated in a "water heating area."
According to the report, on Feb. 24, an employee with Del Monte Heating and Air Conditioning said he was using an oxy-acetylene torch to braze a copper line when the insulation around the pipe caught fire. The employee said he tried to put out the flame for 45 minutes using multiple fire extinguishers. He also cut a hole in the wall that was approximately 2-feet by 2-feet to pull out the insulation. He stated he believed he had put the fire out.
Other contractors said they saw smoke and knew something was on fire, but no one called the fire department.
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The following day when firefighters were called, they began working to put out flames on the inside, but moved to the outside because several floors had collapsed.
Fire alarms and sprinklers were installed, but were not fully activated, which the report states is standard procedure for a building still under construction.
Dauenhauer Plumbing, Del Monte Heating and Air Conditioning and Diancafioro Masonary Company are listed as the companies working on the complex at the time of the fire. All three were interviewed as part of the investigation.
No injuries were reported.
The Breakwater apartments were a part of $26.5 million development, two years in the making. Construction on the complex was planned to be completed this month. The report states the estimated value of the structure loss was between $9 million and $12 million.
The insurance information states there was a $19,400,000 liability that includes contents and structure amounts.
The developers are planning on rebuilding the damaged units. According to a press release, "Flaherty & Collins Properties began the process of evaluating Building B, which contains 125 of the project's 191 luxury apartments, earlier this week after meeting with insurance adjusters, engineering and construction teams."
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