Regarding the telephone book analogy, note that many fire codes to not
allow the stacking of boxes directly on the floor and against an
adjoining wall. I've been told by our fire folks that this is due to the
danger of spontaneous combustion in certain conditions, and also because
it restricts the flow of fire suppressants into affected areas. Note,
however, that I have never had a fire marshal complain about stacking on
pallets against a wall. I believe this is because of the space above the
floor provided by the pallet, and also the fact that pallets rarely meet
the wall exactly - there's usually a gap between the palletized boxes
and the wall.

I wouldn't assume denser storage means less fire danger until I have
discussed it with a fire prevention professional.

Dwight Wallis, CRM
Records Administrator
Multnomah County Fleet, Records, Electronics, Distribution and Stores
(FREDS)
1620 S.E. 190th Avenue
Portland, OR 97233
Phone: (503)988-3741
Fax: (503)988-3754
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