The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced the much-anticipated opening of the new Chelsea Street Bridge today. Stat-X® Condensed Aerosol Fire Suppression Systems installed in the gear towers, control and equipment rooms will protect this state-of-the-art lift bridge from fire hazard.
The $125.3 million Chelsea Street Bridge project replaces an old truss-type structure with a massive lift bridge that spans 450 feet and provides 175 feet of vertical clearance when raised. The new bridge includes four lanes of vehicular traffic and two pedestrian sidewalks. This is one of the largest permanent lift bridges built to date, and will allow the safe navigation of the Chelsea River by maritime vessels.
Stat-X was selected for its uniquely effective condensed aerosol technology, rugged stainless steel construction and unmatched reliability. Mass DOT determined that Stat-X was the best solution to avoid costly downtime and to provide maximum and economical fire protection for the difficult-to-access mechanical room towers, the hi-tech control room and the operations center for this high-traffic bridge.
Mechanical rooms in the two towers of the bridge are located 200 feet above the water and have extremely limited accessibility. Housed in these rooms are sheaves driven by DC electric motors (Class C fire hazard) and a diesel generator with a full day supply of fuel (Class B hazard). Stat-X provided the only possible fire suppression solution which was able to compensate for openings in the bridge structure and provide a compact and maintenance-free design for this remote location.
The bridge was designed by HNTB Corp, and construction was overseen by JF White Contracting Company. Peter Hanson from the local Stat-X distributor, Hiller NE Fire, remarked, “This was a unique hazard and a great opportunity to demonstrate our ability to match suppression applications to the unusual environments we often are asked to protect. To detect the fire situation, we integrated an addressable Siemens FS-250 detection panel with the UL Listed Potter release panels to activate the multi-tiered Stat-X generators. With such quality products to work with, finding a successful solution was easy.”
James Lavin, CEO of Fireaway Inc., stated, “Stat-X is the ideal fire suppression solution for critical at-risk mechanical, electrical and machinery spaces worldwide. We are proud to have been able to design a solution for the Chelsea Street Bridge which is uniquely compact and effective, environmentally friendly and durable, has no piping or pressurized cylinders and will require minimal maintenance over a 10+ year service life.”