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What a horrible loss of machines.......please see post

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SavannahLion:
Before I say anything more and look like an ass. Is the family some place safe and warm? Are they holed up with family, friends, something? In these troubled times, it'll get mighty expensive to be holed up in a motel.


--- Quote from: Level42 on August 07, 2009, 09:40:15 am ---Sprinkler is only used in buildings with either lots of people or really big buildings, or those with high risks.

Sprinkler also would have completely totalled the machines. Sprinkler systems are _extremely_ expensive.

There are alternatives that could have put out the fire and save the machines but for a person or a family, these are simply way too costly.
--- End quote ---

I really want to pursue this, but I don't want it to degrade into an offshoot discussion here. I'll leave it to the moderators to decide? I'll try my best.

To wit, there was an archive building that stored Civil war documents amongst other things. The Archivists there absolutely did not want sprinkler systems, period. The documents were old and often written with iron ink. Water would destroy some documents base material and/or even "rust" the ink out. So the entire building was constructed without any water sprinkler system or even any fire suppression system at all since the alternatives are too expensive or too hazardous. The documents alone were worth their weight in gold, if not to historians but also to genealogists.

Like this place, the worst happened and a fire started. Just like this building, it was a concrete structure and the fire fed on 100+ year old documents, artifacts and whatever. There was absolutely nothing to stop the fire and it destroyed nearly the entire collection.

Archivists learned a hard lesson and other like buildings were retrofitted with water sprinkler systems or alternative systems where funds could be appropriated. The lesson was simple and painfully obvious.

An unimpeded fire is completely destructive. Once something burns, there is no salvaging it. Water, however, is not always completely destructive and with quick action and basic understanding of the nature of the materials, items can be salvaged. This guy didn't just lose his arcade, but he lost his family photos, clothes, memorabilia, documents, everything. It's very fortunate he still has his life and family, but the reconstruction of his life can just as easily tear a family apart. With water damage, all of that is still recoverable with the exception of mold (which there is a procedure for depending on the severity of the mold and the importance of the item in question).

Besides, a good sprinkler system would not have destroyed every machine. An entire sprinkler system does not "switch on" if there is a fire in a single room. That is inefficient and would probably result in total loss in water pressure anyways.

Every single one of us should learn a good lesson from this. Everyone needs to re-evaulate their safety and take the necessary precautions to protect their family, home and investment (is an arcade cabinet an investment?)

BTW, I just have to say this. That Solar Fox artwork looks sweet. I gotta find me one.

edit: fixed errant tag

Dr Zero:
Nothing like standing back and watching the flames consume a building and the fireman work away and there is not a darn thing you an do.

We lost our business when I was a younger to a fire our portion of the building had to have fire rated walls due to our equipment so the whole place burned to the ground around us.
We had insurance that would have paid for if it burned to the ground but since it didnt they only paid a portion for "smoke damage" and nothing for the water damage.

There is nothing like the smell the plastic the wire the wood it all has its own aroma and the soot you have black sticky glue all over you walking through the place. Then as the days go by there is the wet funky smells the develop.

You get a shovel and start shoveling out your life into a trash bin every once in a  while you find something that is semi legible and you kinda chuckle then you want to cry cause there is no replacing it this was is your life.

Sprinklers have a pellet in them that has to break and then the water can flow and it takes a pretty good bit as we show in the demonstrations at work.
If you are wanting to make some upgrades look at  new smoke detectors that are are connected to each other so if the one in the garage goes off all the alarms go off even if there is no smoke to them yet gives you a big heads up.
Also look at monitoring and some that will send a message to your phone.

Ginsu Victim:
Just got back from the fundraiser.

Between the OKcoin-op forum and the BYOAC forum, we raised $555! Terry was extremely grateful for your contributions! He thanks you all very much and it was a complete surprise to him.

We also auctioned a Galaga with a 48-in-1 in it and the bidding went $100, $150......$800! I think they are still taking bids, but last I heard. $800 was the high bid.

It was a really fun night, even though the UFC PPV was a bit of a let down. We had about 100 people there and more food than anyone could possibly ever eat. Pics and video will be up soon.

Thanks for everything! You've been awesome!  :cheers:

(If you planned on donating, it's not too late. The Shaw family lost everything, so any amount is welcomed!)

Kevin Mullins:
Glad to hear is was a good turnout.  :cheers:

Wanted to make a run down there, but ya know how that goes.

mvsfan:

--- Quote from: shardian on August 05, 2009, 10:42:30 am ---no insurance....wow.  That's alot more than a kick to the tenders - that's a wrecking ball shot!

--- End quote ---

insurance is always a good thing but not everyone can afford it.

one good thing that you can do is to keep all of your super flammable stuff like spray paint, pcb contact cleaner, gasoline, etc etc in an outbuilding provided you have one.






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