IAFC-Safety, Health, and Survival

In a few months, NIST's fire investigators are expected to complete a study of the Sofa Super Store fire in Charleston that killed 9 Firefighters in the Line of Duty. Officials with the National Institute of Standards and Technology are scheduled to complete the investigation soon, though the study has taken longer than expected.

NIST's Michael Newman said that they expect to release an announcement soon regarding the findings of their study that has been underway since the 2007 fire. He said the goal of the organization is to help improve fire protection equipment and procedures to help keep firefighters safe.
Newman told the Associated Press that only a few members of the institute are qualified to conduct the complex computer modeling required for the study.
Investigators will look at why the fire spread so quickly, why the building collapsed and whether sprinklers could have saved lives, according to the Associated Press.
Previously, investigators with the institute have studied fires at the World Trade Center and at a Rhode Island nightclub in 2003 that killed 100 people. Newman said the study of the Sofa Super Store fire was very important due to the high number professionals who died fighting the fire, as it could help prevent firefighters from facing similar situations.

FROM A.P.