Using steel construction can significantly reduce the flammability of your structure. However, it doesn't make the building fireproof. Steel can be weakened and catastrophically fail if the temperature gets high enough. Steel loses nearly half of its weight-bearing capability once the temperature reaches 1100 degrees F (593 degrees C). Eventually, the structure will collapse, for one of the same reasons the Twin Towers collapsed on 9/11.
It may not have been possible to save those buildings and the people inside them, but you can substantially reduce the probability that your steel facility will suffer the same fate by using proven fire-resistant materials and following safety recommendations from authoritative sources.
FIREPROOF YOUR METAL BUILDING AT THE BEGINNING
Constructing a fire-rated building is easiest when fire-resistive materials are planned into the steel structural frame when it is built. To meet International Building Codes, a structure must be able to withstand two full hours of fire-strength temperatures before failure.
Intumescent spray film coatings. An epoxy-like substance containing hydrates or chemically-bound water molecules that is sprayed on as a coating. Once dry it can be painted to match the surrounding areas. In the event of a fire, it swells and chars, releasing the hydrates to help the area cool and reduce surface conductivity, lowering the heat and reducing the lifespan of the fire.