Causes of Fire
Smoking is the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths. Heating equipment is the
second most common cause of home fire fatalities. Arson and intentional fires Most of
these fires occur outside, but most of the associated deaths, injuries, and losses occur
in structures, particularly in homes.
Cooking Equipment
Pots and pans can overheat and cause a fire very easily if the person cooking gets
distracted and leaves cooking unattended. Always stay in the room, or ask someone to
watch your food, when cooking on hotplates.
Heating
Keep portable heaters at least one metre away from anything that could easily catch fire
such as furniture, curtains, laundry, clothes and even yourself. If you have a furnace, get
it inspected once a year to make sure it is working to safety standards.
Smoking in bedrooms
Bedrooms are best to be kept off limits for smoking. A cigarette that is not put out
properly can cause a flame, as the butt may stay alit for a few hours. It could burst into
flames if it came into contact with flammable materials, such as furniture. Did you know
that fires started in the bedroom or lounge make up 73% of all house fire fatalities?
Electrical Equipment
An electrical appliance, such as a toaster can start a fire if it is faulty or has a frayed
cord. A power point that is overloaded with double adapter plugs can cause a fire from
an overuse of electricity. A power point extension cord can also be a fire hazard if not
used appropriately. Double check the appliances and power points in your home.
Candles
Candles look and smell pretty, but if left unattended they can cause a room to easily
burst into flames. Keep candles away from any obviously flammable items such as
books and tissue boxes. Always blow a candle out before leaving a room. Did you know
that in Perth last year 34 house fires started as a result of candles?
Curious Children
Kids can cause a fire out of curiosity, to see what would happen if they set fire to an
object. Keep any matches or lighters out of reach of children, to avoid any curiosity
turned disaster. Install a smoke alarm in your childs room and practice a home escape
plan with your children and family in case there was a fire. Teach kids understand the
stop, drop, cover and roll drill as well as knowing their address if they needed to call
000.
Barbeques
Barbeques are great for an outdoor meal, but should always be used away from the
home, tablecloths or any plants and tree branches. Keep BBQs regularly maintained
and cleaned with soapy water and clean any removable parts. Check the gas bottle for
any leaks before you use it each time.
Flammable Liquids
If you have any flammable liquids in the home or garage such as petrol, kerosene or
methylated spirits, keep them away from heat sources and check the label before
storing. Be careful when pouring these liquids.
Lighting
Lamp shades and light fittings can build up heat if they are very close to light globes.
Check around the house to make sure. Lamp bases can become a hazard if they are
able to be knocked over easily, and so should be removed if they are. Check that down
lights are insulated from wood panelling or ceiling timbers.
Nature of Fire
Fire Grow Quickly
In your home, in less than 30 seconds a small flame can get completely out of control
and turn into a major fire. It only takes a few minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house
and very quickly the house can be completely engulfed in flames.
Most fires occur in the home when people are asleep. If you wake up to a fire, you just
won't have time to grab valuables because fire spreads too quickly and the smoke is too
thick. There is literally only time to escape the area and get outside of the house.
Fire is Extremely Hot
The heat generated by a fire in your house is actually more threatening to you than the
flames. A fire's heat alone can kill. Room temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees C at
floor level and rise to 600 degrees C at eye level. Inhaling this super hot air will scorch
your lungs. This heat can melt clothes to your skin. In five minutes a room can get so
hot that everything in it ignites at once: this is called flashover.
Fire is Dark
Although the initial flames from a fire can be bright, the fire will quiclky generate thick
grey black smoke which will reduce your visibility to nearly zero. If you wake up to a fire
you may be in panic, disoriented and unable to find your way around the home you've
lived in for years. You need to have an escape plan and practice it with your family on a
regular basis.
Fire is Deadly
Smoke and toxic gases from the fire kill more people than the actual flames do. Fire
needs oxygen to burn and will consume it quickly. This leaves little for you to breath.
Also, the smoke from a fire is hot and contains many poisonous gases. Breathing even
small amounts of smoke and toxic gases can make you drowsy, disoriented and short of
breath. These toxic gases can overcome and kill you in a very short time, even while
you sleep or before you have had a chance to ecsape. Realize that the early detection
of smoke with a good smoke detector will give you the best chance to get out alive.
Stages of Fire
Incipient
This first stage begins when heat, oxygen and a fuel source combine and have a
chemical reaction resulting in fire. This is also known as ignition and is usually
represented by a very small fire which often (and hopefully) goes out on its own, before
the following stages are reached. Recognizing a fire in this stage provides your best
chance at suppression or escape.
Growth
The growth stage is where the structures fire load and oxygen are used as fuel for the
fire. There are numerous factors affecting the growth stage including where the fire
started, what combustibles are near it, ceiling height and the potential for thermal
layering. It is during this shortest of the 4 stages when a deadly flashover can occur;
potentially trapping, injuring or killing firefighters.
Fully Developed
When the growth stage has reached its max and all combustible materials have been
ignited, a fire is considered fully developed. This is the hottest phase of a fire and the
most dangerous for anybody trapped within.
Decay
Usually the longest stage of a fire, the decay stage is characterized a significant
decrease in oxygen or fuel, putting an end to the fire. Two common dangers during this
stage are first the existence of non-flaming combustibles, which can potentially start a
new fire if not fully extinguished. Second, there is the danger of a backdraft when
oxygen is reintroduced to a volatile, confined space.
Classification of Fire
Classes of Fire - A, B, C, D, and K
Fires are classified by the types of fuel they burn.
Class A
Class A Fires consist of ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, trash or anything
else that leaves an ash. Water works best to extinguish a Class A fire.
Class B
Class B Fires are fueled by flammable or combustible liquids, which include oil,
gasoline, and other similar materials. Smothering effects which deplete the oxygen
supply work best to extinguish Class B fires.
Class C
Class C Fires. Energized Electrical Fires are known as Class C fires. Always de-
energize the circuit then use a non-conductive extinguishing agent. Such as Carbon
dioxide.
Class D
Class D Fires are combustible metal fires. Magnesium and Titanium are the most
common types of metal fires. Once a metal ignites do not use water in an attempt to
extinguish it. Only use a Dry Powder extinguishing agent. Dry powder agents work by
smothering and heat absorption.
Class K
Class K Fires are fires that involve cooking oils, grease or animal fat and can be
extinguished using Purple K, the typical agent found in kitchen or galley extinguishers.
2. types of Extinguishers
Choosing Fire Extinguishers
Identify the type of materials in the area
Class A: SOLIDS such as paper, wood, plastic etc
Class B: FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS such as paraffin, petrol, oil etc
FLAMMABLE GASES such as propane, butane,
Class C:
methane etc
Class D: METALS such as aluminium, magnesium, titanium etc
Class E: Fires involving ELECTRICAL APPARATUS
Class F: Cooking OIL & FAT etc
Types of Fire Extinguisher
Water Fire Extinguishers:
The cheapest and most widely used fire extinguishers. Used for Class A fires. Not
suitable for Class B (Liquid) fires, or where electricity is involved.
Foam Fire Extinguishers:
More expensive than water, but more versatile. Used for Classes A & B fires. Foam
spray extinguishers are not recommended for fires involving electricity, but are safer
than water if inadvertently sprayed onto live electrical apparatus.
Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers:
Often termed the multi-purpose extinguisher, as it can be used on classes A, B & C
fires. Best for running liquid fires (Class B). Will efficiently extinguish Class C gas fires,
BUT BEWARE, IT CAN BE DANGEROUS TO EXTINGUISH A GAS FIRE WITHOUT
FIRST ISOLATING THE GAS SUPPLY. Special powders are available for class D metal
fires.
Warning: when used indoors, powder can obscure vision or damage goods and
machinery. It is also very messy.
CO2 Fire Extinguishers:
Carbon Dioxide is ideal for fires involving electrical apparatus, and will also extinguish
class B liquid fires, but has NO POST FIRE SECURITY and the fire could re-ignite.
Wet chemical
Specialist extinguisher for class F fires.
For Metal Fires: A specialist fire extinguisher for use on Class D fires - metal fires such
as sodium, lithium, manganese and aluminium when in the form of swarf or turnings.
Colour Coding
Prior to 1st Jan 1997, the code of practice for fire extinguishers in the UK was BS 5423,
which advised the colour coding of fire extinguishers as follows:
Water - Red
Foam - Cream
Dry Powder - Blue
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - Black
Halon - Green (now 'illegal' except for a few exceptions such as the Police, Armed
Services and Aircraft).
New extinguishers should conform to BS EN 3, which requires that the entire body of
the extinguisher be coloured red. A zone of colour of up to 5% of the external area can
be used to identify the contents using the old colour coding shown above.
3. Placement of Extinguishers
The positioning of your fire extinguishers is extremely important as every second counts
in an emergency situation and you have to remember that the person trying to find them
may be a first time visitor to your premises.
For most buildings, the best place to fix your extinguishers is by the main entrance as
this would also be the main exit which makes it an obvious place to find fire fighting
equipment.
Do not hide them behind a screen, a door or a retail display as inaccessibility makes
them next to useless.
Other places to fix them are at fire exit doors and tops and/or bottom of stairs. In
essence, they should be on fire exit routes whilst not obstructing the route itself.
Correct selection, placement and accessibility are extremely important to assure that a
fire is controlled in the earliest states. All extinguisher selection and placement should
be based upon your company's underwriting guidelines, NFPA # 10 and any local codes
and/or regulations.
When selecting the number and type of extinguisher to be installed in a facility it is
important to consider not only the class of fuel involved (Class, A, B, C, D and/or
combination thereof) but also the size of the fire load (amount of combustibles)
contained within the structure. Your company's underwriting guidelines and/or NFPA #
10 Portable Fire Extinguishers, should help you evaluate if types, number and specific
locations of the extinguishers are correct for the exposure.
As some general guidelines in a home, a logical choice might be a number of multi-
purpose dry chemical extinguishers, due to the mix of Class A - wood, paper fabric;
Class B - grease, gasoline; and Class C - television, toaster, electric range, etc. A logical
choice might be at least one multi-purpose extinguisher with a capacity of 5 pounds or
greater located on each living level of the home. A CO2 or Halon extinguisher may be
needed in areas such as a photo lab, kitchen, office with computer equipment, etc.
Consideration should also be given to locating an additional multi-purpose dry chemical
extinguisher near the shop, furnace room, etc. Specific characteristics for fire
extinguishing equipment can be found in NFPA # 10 table H.2.
On combines, pickers or tractors where fire involving stalks, straw or oil, etc., may be
encountered a multi-purpose dry chemical extinguisher rated at 2-A: 10-B:C would offer
protection for Class B and give moderate help with Class A burning materials. Autos and
farm trucks should have an extinguisher with a multi-purpose rating of no less than 2-A:
10-B:C.
In a shop, grinder-mixer room, chemical storage area, etc., at least one dry chemical
extinguisher with a minimum 40-B:C rating should be installed depending upon the size
of the area and the fire load.
4. How to use Extinguishers (PASS)
The P-A-S-S technique for fire extinguisher use:
P - Pull the pin. It is there to prevent accidental discharge.
A - Aim low at the base of the fire. This is the where the fuel source is.
S - Squeeze the lever above the handle. Release to stop the flow.
(Some extinguishers have a button instead of a lever)
S - Sweep from side to side. Move toward the fire, aiming low at its base. Sweep until
all flames are extinguished. Watch for re-igniting. Repeat as necessary. Have site
inspected by fire department.
Place any fire extinguisher that has been used on its side on the floor. It will be
collected and recharged after the fire scene is secure.
5. Fighting Fires (SAFETY)
6. Examples of Accidents Involving Fires