Fire Case Studies

Real fires, read through the science, and what they changed.

A long, dim medieval oak roof attic seen down its length: steep rafters and heavy trusses form a timber tunnel over the rounded, dusty stone backs of the vaults, with a plank walkway down the middle and work lamps hanging from the beams.

Fire Case Studies

Notre-Dame Fire: Why an 800-Year-Old Roof Burned in Hours

The 2019 Notre-Dame fire grew for half an hour in a 100 m oak attic before anyone called firefighters. See the fuel, the lead, the vaults and the rebuild.

October 16, 2026 · 19 min read

A test room built like a small nightclub stage: a low wooden platform in front of a recessed alcove, with grey egg-crate acoustic foam on the alcove and upper walls above brown wood paneling, and three thin instrument poles on the empty floor.

Fire Case Studies

Station Nightclub Fire: Why 100 People Had Only 90 Seconds

The Station nightclub fire killed 100 people in 2003. See how stage gerbs, acoustic foam and one narrow inner door left the crowd about 90 seconds to escape.

October 10, 2026 · 19 min read

A full-scale facade fire test rig in a bright laboratory hall: two tall walls clad in grey composite panels meet in a corner, with a square combustion chamber at the foot of the left wall holding a crossed stack of timber sticks.

Fire Case Studies

Grenfell Tower Fire: The Cladding Physics Behind 72 Deaths

The Grenfell Tower fire began as a kitchen fire. See how polyethylene cladding, a stay-put plan that outlived the building and gamed tests killed 72 people.

October 6, 2026 · 19 min read