On Jan. 9, fire broke out in a third floor apartment at a 17-story high rise in the Bronx. Before long, thick smoke rose through the tower and filled all 17 floors, killing 17 people, including eight children. It was New York City’s deadliest blaze in three decades....
Category
Firestop and Smokeseal
Firestop and the Deadly January New York City Fire
Millions of Americans live and work in buildings where a fire could result in a terrible tragedy. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Protection Handbook, nearly six in 10 people killed in fires are located in a room where the fire did...
Ielmini discusses the importance of firestop safety measures
According to the NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, nearly six in 10 people killed in fires are not in the room where the fire originally started. This disturbing statistic speaks to the importance of firewall safety. If you can stop a fire from spreading, property damage...
Mechanical Insulators LMCT discusses firestopping and smoke seal on labor podcast
Firestopping and smoke seal is one of the important trades that falls under the umbrella of the Insulators Union and, Mechanical Insulators LMCT Trustee Tom Dake II recently discussed firestopping and smoke seal on a national, labor-focused podcast. The America’s Work...
Latest Posts
Ielmini on how AI is driving construction demand for Insulators
Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT), joined host Ed “Flash” Ferenc on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast on March 26 for a wide-ranging conversation on artificial intelligence becoming one of the...
The Impact of AI on the Mechanical Insulation Industry
AI is no longer a future concept; it is actively reshaping construction demand, project delivery and expectations for building performance. For the mechanical insulation industry, the most immediate and measurable impact is the rapid expansion of AI data center...
Ielmini discusses construction mental health on BIC Magazine Podcast
Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Heat and Frost Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT), recently joined Jeremy Austerberger on the BIC Magazine Podcast to address one of the most urgent issues facing the construction industry: mental health and...
LMCT Contractor Spotlight: Gribbins Insulation & Scaffolding
Mechanical insulation and firestopping are often behind-the-scenes construction work, but on modern projects, they are major drivers of energy performance, safety and long-term operating cost control. The first edition of “Mechanical Insulation in Action: Contractor...
Ielmini on AWF: Skills, Safety and Contracting
Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT), returned to the America’s Work Force Union Podcast on Feb. 25, for his monthly conversation with host Ed “Flash” Ferenc. This month’s discussion shifted from...
Mechanical Insulation at PowerGen 2026: A Practical Path to Lower Heat Loss, Safer Plants and Higher Efficiency
The Insulators Labor-Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT) participated in PowerGen 2026 (Jan. 20–22) at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, to spotlight a proven but often under-specified lever for power plant performance: Mechanical...



