Fires in Closed Structures

The presence of three basic factors together is liable to cause combustion and the spread of a fire. These are: flammable materials, oxygen, and heat.

1. Incorrect use of appliances such as using gas or even electric cooking stoves to heat the house. Similarly, using damaged or unsound appliances and systems (such as using a gas delivery system installed by an unlicensed installer or an uninspected system) is a fire hazard.
2. Carelessness, forgetfulness or neglect such as leaving a fire burning, setting a fire near flammables, smoking in bed.
3. Improper and unauthorized use of electricity such as using a damaged electric blanket or an improper electrical outlet.
4. Children’s play such as playing with matches, making slogans outlined in fire in youth groups and schools.
5. Natural causes such as lightning strikes, volcanic eruptions, sunbeams.

a.      Fires of flammable solids: This includes all solids that are flammable such as wood, cloth, rubber, and more.

b.      Fires of flammable liquids: This includes all liquids that are flammable such as fuel, diesel fuel, alcohol, tar, and more.

c.    Gas fires: This includes the entire family of flammable gases such as hydrogen,     acetylene, and more.

Flammable gases, in certain ratios, might also cause explosions.

d.      Electrical fires: Any fire in which electricity is involved, whether passively or actively, is an electrical fire.

e.      Light metal fires: This includes magnesium, lithium and aluminum, as well as their compounds.

The basic principle for putting out any fire is to remove one of the three factors of a fire or to separate them. There are three basic methods for putting out a fire:

a.       Isolate: The purpose of this method is to isolate the burning articles from the articles that are not on fire. This method gets rid of the flammable material, one of the three factors in a fire. This method minimizes the extent of the fire. For example, moving a burning newspaper away from curtains, turning off the cooking gas, etc.

b.      Smother: The purpose of this method is to cut off the fire’s oxygen supply. When the flow of oxygen is cut off, the burning gradually dies down. This method gets rid of the oxygen, one of the three factors in a fire.

c.       Cool: The purpose of this method is to lower the temperature of the fire to a temperature below the combustion point of the specific material. This method gets rid of the heat, one of the three factors in a fire.

In addition, there is a fourth method:

d.       Stop the chemical reaction that constitutes the burning: Using inert gases or fire-fighting powders and foams.

Choosing the specific fire-fighting method depends on the type and scope of the fire and on the means available to the fire-fighters,

It is crucial to remember that you should attempt to put out a fire only if you are sure you can control it.