China skyscraper engulfed in flames

Originally published at: China skyscraper engulfed in flames | Boing Boing

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I hope the people inside were able to get out safely… and it does seem like that for now, so they’re already better off

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Is it a casino hotel?

“Shame if something were to happen to your hotel.”

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Hope everyone got out ok.

Did they use petroleum instead of paint? holy hell that seems much more on fire than a concrete structure should be. Maybe they used the same cladding supplier as London’s Grenfell Tower?

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Evidently they did have a bunch of fuel stores, I assume for back up generators.

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I had wondered about the occasional explosive sounds heard in the video. Large amounts of fuel stored on site could explain that.

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So…no sprinkler system?

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Thanks, didn’t put two and two together, makes sense a telecom building would have backup power equipment.

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[Building standards being revised to allow no more than 30 tons of server fuel in highrises]

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I noticed some Reddit comments using this fire to revive some 9/11 conspiracy theories. Fugly.

Actually, the way Chinese demolition videos of high rises show the buildings not pancake dropping makes me think their construction practices are different from ours.

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The twin towers pancaked because of the uncommon building technique of having the load bearing members being the shell of the building with the floors hanging from the walls, vs the more common technique of having a central reinforced column bearing most of the weight.

So yes, different, but most US skyscrapers wouldnt pancake either. In explosive demolition the structure is deliberately weakened, then explosives are used for the final implosion giving that satisfying pancake effect

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Appreciating the explanation. :+1:

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