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January 22, 2015, 6:58 PM Last updated: Thursday, January 22, 2015, 10:40 PM

The type of construction firefighters faced while battling a massive blaze at an Edgewater apartment complex this week is common in New Jersey and elsewhere, and one that many say raises challenges and concerns because of the potential for collapse and for flames to travel swiftly.

So-called lightweight wood construction in multistory buildings is a longstanding issue in the firefighting community a cheaper, faster and legal style of building that some have been saying for years needs better checks and balances.

Related: How to help those displaced by Edgewater fire

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Related: Officials: Blow torch used by workers sparked Edgewater apartment complex fire

Photos: 5-alarm blaze destroys Edgewater apartments

Officials said the destroyed Edgewater building had lightweight construction with a truss style of roof framing. The owners of the building, AvalonBay Communities, said the building was built according to code.

Its all over the state of New Jersey. Its toothpick construction. You can see fires all over the county; once they get started its very difficult or impossible to stop, said Charles Aughenbaugh, past president of New Jersey Deputy Fire Chiefs Association, adding that firefighters did a terrific job getting people out and ultimately saving all lives.

David Kurasz, executive director of the New Jersey Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board, said the fact that there were no fatalities is a miracle, given the magnitude of the fire.

Go here to see the original:
Buildings lightweight structure, legal and common, adds fuel to raging Avalon fire

January 22, 2015, 7:01 AM Last updated: Thursday, January 22, 2015, 11:40 PM

A massive fire that raged for hours on Wednesday night, reducing a luxury Edgewater apartment complex to a pile of charred rubble and leaving more than 500 homeless, started with a blowtorch that was being used to fix a leaking pipe, officials said on Thursday.

CHRIS PEDOTA/staff photographer

Police Chief William Skidmore said workers were using a torch while fixing a leak and doing plumbing repairs when the fire started.

Maintenance workers who were doing plumbing repairs in the 408-unit Avalon at Edgewater complex initially tried to tamp down the flames themselves on Wednesday afternoon, waiting 15 minutes before they called 911, officials said. Nearly 24 hours later, after what turned into a grueling night for hundreds of firefighters battling one of the largest blazes in Bergen County history, the destruction of the building where the fire began was nearly complete.

TARIQ ZEHAWI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Smoke still rises from the apartment complex as firefighters from many departments continue to pour water onto the site.

TARIQ ZEHAWI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Firefighters from many departments continue to pour water onto the fire site.

NBC New York

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Officials: Blow torch used by workers sparked Edgewater apartment complex fire (video]

January 22, 2015, 7:01 AM Last updated: Thursday, January 22, 2015, 11:40 PM

A massive fire that raged for hours on Wednesday night, reducing a luxury Edgewater apartment complex to a pile of charred rubble and leaving more than 500 homeless, started with a blowtorch that was being used to fix a leaking pipe, officials said on Thursday.

CHRIS PEDOTA/staff photographer

Police Chief William Skidmore said workers were using a torch while fixing a leak and doing plumbing repairs when the fire started.

Maintenance workers who were doing plumbing repairs in the 408-unit Avalon at Edgewater complex initially tried to tamp down the flames themselves on Wednesday afternoon, waiting 15 minutes before they called 911, officials said. Nearly 24 hours later, after what turned into a grueling night for hundreds of firefighters battling one of the largest blazes in Bergen County history, the destruction of the building where the fire began was nearly complete.

TARIQ ZEHAWI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Smoke still rises from the apartment complex as firefighters from many departments continue to pour water onto the site.

TARIQ ZEHAWI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Firefighters from many departments continue to pour water onto the fire site.

NBC New York

Continued here:
5-alarm fire at Edgewater's Avalon apt. complex still smoldering; nearly 1,000 displaced

January 22, 2015, 7:01 AM Last updated: Thursday, January 22, 2015, 11:40 PM

A massive fire that raged for hours on Wednesday night, reducing a luxury Edgewater apartment complex to a pile of charred rubble and leaving more than 500 homeless, started with a blowtorch that was being used to fix a leaking pipe, officials said on Thursday.

CHRIS PEDOTA/staff photographer

Police Chief William Skidmore said workers were using a torch while fixing a leak and doing plumbing repairs when the fire started.

Maintenance workers who were doing plumbing repairs in the 408-unit Avalon at Edgewater complex initially tried to tamp down the flames themselves on Wednesday afternoon, waiting 15 minutes before they called 911, officials said. Nearly 24 hours later, after what turned into a grueling night for hundreds of firefighters battling one of the largest blazes in Bergen County history, the destruction of the building where the fire began was nearly complete.

TARIQ ZEHAWI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Smoke still rises from the apartment complex as firefighters from many departments continue to pour water onto the site.

TARIQ ZEHAWI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Firefighters from many departments continue to pour water onto the fire site.

NBC New York

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5-alarm fire at Edgewater's Avalon apt. complex still smoldering; 1,000+ displaced

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Smoke 'em if you got 'em, just keep well enough away.

Regulatory changes under the Smoke Free Ontario Act have brought about some significant changes for restaurants and recreation facilities with the New Year.

As of January 1, 2015 smoking is no longer allowed on bar and restaurant patios, providing cleaner air for workers and patrons, and protecting them from the dangers of second-hand smoke. Couple with this regulation is a province-wide ban on smoking within 20 metres of public playgrounds and sports fields.

The regulation speaks to, though it doesn't directly include mandatory setbacks from entrances at other public facilities such as arenas. Rather, that is generally dictated by a patchwork of municipal bylaws.

It's a question we receive a lot, said program manager for chronic disease prevention and tobacco control for the Middlesex-London Health Unit, Linda Stobo. That's something that isn't dictated.

While there are some restrictions for smoking in entrance ways at provincially-run facilities, such as the 9 metre prohibited zone outside hospitals and long-term care facilities, other workplace and public entrances are at the call of the host municipality.

In the case of businesses, sometimes restrictions are made because of customer or employee complaints, though Stobo said many have chosen to implement their own policies and signage.

A good rule of thumb is to look for a sign, Stobo said. If there is a setback, you are not supposed to smoke in that doorway.

Timing has been a challenge with the new regulations. The announcement about patios, for instance, was made very late last year, leaving little time for the health unit to reach out to bar and restaurant operators. However, many owner/operators had already converted to smoke free places after previous regulatory changes that banned smoking from covered patios.

If anything, this legislation provides a consistent business playing field across the province, Stobo noted. It is a lot cleaner and easier to understand if there are consistent rules around smoking restrictions.

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Health unit enters new age of tobacco enforcement

Business is booming

Richard Froese for South Peace News

Building and development in High Prairie has exploded with a boom year of new construction in 2014, and the trend continuing this year.

Values of permits totaled just under $130 million in the Town of High Prairie and just over $10 million in the M.D. of Big Lakes.

However, the new High Prairie Health Complex accounts for $120 million.

Last year, the town recorded 31 building permits for $129,940,000. Industrial was valued at $1,450,000, with $120 million for the new High Prairie Hospital and $250,000 for a new lift station building on 49 Street

Values of permits were probably similar to the previous year except for the hospital, says Brian Martinson, director of roads and facilities for the town.

We had more value in commercial projects.

Commercial activity was valued at $9,063,000, including $4.5 million for a new shop for Joe Quartly Trucking on the west side of town and an expansion for Martin Deerline for $3.5 million on the east side.

Shell station roofing renovation with the balance.

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Business is booming

When Ruby Genrich scooped her first bag for a customer, she got paid 25 cents per night and all the popcorn she could eat.

Now 91, a lot has changed since she worked at Traubels Popcorn Stand in downtown Beatrice in the late 1930s, but the Kensington resident got a blast from her past Thursday.

Residents of the Kensington operated the new Traubels Popcorn Stand for the day on Thursday, an experience that brought back great memories for Genrich.

It was across the street then and Mr. Traubel was a very good boss, she explained. When the weather was bad or something, he would pick us up and take us home. We worked until 9 oclock sometimes.

Other things have also changed with the stand, like the modern heater and employees being required to wear gloves.

To provide extra assistance, Genrichs sister, Janice Edeal, stopped by the stand.

Edeal, 71, also worked at the popcorn stand in the late 1950s.

Its cool, because it was quite a novelty back then, she said. It meant a lot to us and I think they did a very good job on the stand. Its been very popular.

The popcorn stand was opened in 1937 by John and Stella Traubel and served the public at the northeast corner of Fifth and Court streets for 50 years until its closing in 1987.

Today, the stand is in a nearby location on North Fifth Street. The stand was one of the final additions to an overhaul of Fifth Street that changed the traffic flow to two way and added a historic clock, brick mural and colored concrete to the street.

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Just like old times