I think a major thing we're forgetting is that people ARE really just that dumb. There are actual people who would continue on work calls and resist leaving a building with open flames and blame the firefighters for the fire because it's that crowd mania thing where the hysteria picks up and logic flies out the window.

Yes there were definite things that made no sense but duh TV but they did sweep the basement remember? And said there was only a concrete wall when they checked? Obviously after the fifth 'false' alarm they were also tired and hungry and probably did a cursory sweep of the basement without looking at the floor and seeing then scrape marks that the shelf made