E57,
I don't deny for a second that NM cable is more flammable, you are absolutely correct. And yes the rats chewing on the insulation is another issue to consider, but it doesnt weigh heavily on my mind, as rat infestation speaks of other serious problems.
Consider this. A few years ago there was a devastating fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, RI (my home state.) The entire building was consumed by flames in less than 3 minutes, and 100 people died as a result. Numerous others were severely burned and disfigured by the blaze.
The nightclub could have been wired entirely in RMC and it would have made no difference in the spread of the fire. The main contributing factor was highly flammable packing foam that had been put on the walls for sound deadening. This, of course, was a serious code violation but not an electrical one.
So the point is, as myself and Bob have both mentioned, once you fill an occupancy with toxic-laden combustibles, the wiring method quickly becomes irrelevant in my opinion.
Peter
edited to add: The Station fire ushered in a total overhaul and complete revision of Rhode Island's fire code. It is now one of the strictest fire codes in the nation.
[This message has been edited by CTwireman (edited 09-15-2004).]
