Backdraft or Flashover? Alpha Lanes Bowling Alley Fire 5/8/2019

Backdraft, flashover, or smoke explosion?
Fire at the Alpha Lanes bowling alley in Troy, NY on May 8, 2019
(Please ignore the woman screaming behind me.)

[ronmitchell]

While everyone is screaming, firefighters stayed calm, well done brothers. Insane fire!

[chewiesof]

No wonder the fire got so big, their mouths were fuelling it

[fridaynightgamefilm]

It's a good thing that hysterical woman was there, giving them expert instructions. That was a huge help. They wouldn't have known what to do otherwise.

[eriksand]

Notice how none of the fire fighters are freaking out. Yet screaming lady is full blown freak out mode 🤣

[graves]

Love watching videos with uneducated people in the background

[BlLL_LUMBERGH]

It's terrifying to think what would have happened if those civilians had not been there to instruct the firemen.

[iljinjong]

I am a firefighter for 21 years. I admit this was a very violent smoke combustion. But the warning signs are all over the place. When the smoke is getting out the building with that speed and darkness you know it is going to burn soon. They act very slow looks like they did not know what was going to happen. But this is in every firefighters textbook and videos like these are all over the place. And that guy in the shirt has no business whatsoever to stand there. That's just idiotic and the firefighters should have send him away.

[disabldfirefiter]

As a disabled firefighter, I thank you for catching this! It's one of the most terrifying backdrafts I've ever seen.
Smoke is fuel, and in a backdraft, an oxygen-starved area in the building, sealed up, and a window breaks, or a door is opened, and the sudden addition of oxygen causes everything, including all of the smoke, to catch fire & burn at lightning speed, following the oxygen to the outside. There is a sign to watch for, a sudden inrush of smoke back into the building. That's the oxygen that is rapidly feeding the fire pulling the smoke in with it.
Be safe out there, brothers and sisters!

[lynnroberge]

I literally had to hit MUTE to shut the OH MY woman up

[xpoors]

the white whispy pulsing smoke is SUCH a backdraught sign, it should not be ignored !!

[javierya]

It’s actually more dangerous to move an apparatus in a situation like that. Someone could get hit/ran over. Best thing to do is listen to your safety officer(s) on scene and have good judgement if that is not available. Stay safe brothers!

[timfoppiano]

The art of reading smoke. Great class, and good to know. Mixed with fire ground experience, a skill we all found useful!

[Arathor]

Backdraft, if you look at the smoke, it has a black, brown and heavy look to it. Also, the movement, it was pushing with alot of force and it also appears to have a "Puffing" effect, like it was coming out of a locomotive, and then you'll hear what might be a window break and then that's when you start seeing some hints of orange and then off course the last bit. You probably would've heard the air being sucked in if the 20 yr chief wasn't screaming her head off.

[larrydeleau]

Ever since smartphones, everyone has suddenly become a fire captain, doctor, pilot, lawyer, etc etc etc

[easygoing]

That's what it looks like from the outside when somebody at a bowling alley is rolling a 300 game.

[MrChancebandit]

Notice how all the people were running away panicking and not a single firefighter budged

[derrickguffey]

What was the cause I've never seen flames shoot out with such intensity and for so long. This was horrendous

[JB]

Just ask yourself, where was the water before and during this event?

[marcbach]

Any experienced fireman would have seen that coming. The smoke tells the tale.

[mongolikechewchew]

The hysterical screaming sure isn't helping the situation! If that was me in the bucket, I might have moved towards the blow torch in my face, hoping it would drown out the OOOO MY GOD OOOO MY GOD 400X!