Hinsdale house set on fire shows value of sprinklers

Hinsdale firefighters recently found themselves in an unusual position ... starting fires.

It was for a good cause, though, to raise awareness of the advantages of putting sprinkler systems in new residential construction.

Along with representatives from the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board and Nexus Engineering of Oakbrook Terrace, they put on a demonstration last week showing how sprinkler systems can save lives and property.

Roughly three dozen interested residents watched as a Hinsdale house set for demolition was instead set on fire. One room was equipped with a sprinkler, a second was not.

In the first room, the sprinkler activated about 40 seconds after the fire started; the fire was under control 30 seconds later. The temperature in the room never exceeded 170 degrees.

In the room without the sprinkler, the result was dramatically different. After a minute and a half, the room filled with smoke and became “unsurvivable,” according to Tim Tess of Nexus Engineering.

“Evacuation from this room would be difficult at best,” he said. The temperature reached 1,300 degrees before the firefighters got the blaze out.

Watching from the comfort of a plush seat was Ernie Mizen, who lived in the house for 47 years with her late husband Ted before selling it.

She said she hopes the fire department will get valuable training from practicing firefighting in the house during the next few weeks.

“We had wonderful years here,” Mizen said. “I feel that this (demolishing the house) is putting closure to it.”