Building codes require that houses greater than 3000 sq.ft. have a sprinkler system but does not require metal piping. PVC piping is more profitable for contractors but does not stand up to fire.
Running through the attic were plastic pipes for fire sprinklers. The fire melted the pipes, flooding the attic and filling the insulation with water, Peaks said. The weight of the insulation appears to have led a large section of the ceiling to collapse, injuring Allen and five other firefighters.
When the ceiling collapsed, Allen was covered with debris. Rescuers used a chainsaw to reach him. When they found him, he was not breathing and his heart had stopped.
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