One of the first things taught in a Fire Safety Training course is how a fire starts. Knowing how fires start can considerably increase awareness of potential hazards and also helps in providing an understanding as to how fire extinguishers work.

In order for a fire to start, there needs to be sufficient quantities of three elements in place - fuel, oxygen and heat. Once a fire has started, removal of any of these three elements will cause the fire to extinguish. The term for this is the ‘Fire Triangle’.  Recently, this has largely been replaced in the industry by the term ‘fire tetrahedron’ which takes into consideration the ignition or combustion process.

Fuel

Without fuel a fire will stop. Fuel can be removed naturally, where by the fire has consumed all the burnable fuel, or manually, by mechanically or chemically removing the fuel from the fire. Sources of fuel include:

Petrol
Paraffin/kerosene
Alcohol
Oil
Paint
Wood / paper / card
Plastics - most plastics will release toxic smoke during combustion
Metals - some metals are flammable, although usually very high temperatures are required
Dust - airborne particles which can be highly explosive
Materials/clothing/upholstery - present virtually everywhere, these can produce toxic smoke

Oxygen

When there is a lack of oxygen, a fire cannot begin nor can it continue. Oxygen can be removed from a fire by dousing it with foam, spraying it with inert gas, dry chemicals (powder) or by enclosing the fire in an area where all the available oxygen will be used up. Imagine using a candle snuffer on a burning candle, instantly the candles source of oxygen has been removed and therefore the flame will go out.

Heat

Without sufficient heat a fire cannot begin nor can it continue. Heat can be removed by dousing some fires with water; the water turns to steam taking the heat with it. However, it is worth noting that adding water to some types of fire (i.e. combustible metal fires) can have the reverse affect and can cause the fire to spread. That is why it is extremely important to use the correct type of fire extinguisher depending on what type of fire it is you are tackling.

The next article on ‘good housekeeping’ will offer further guidance on ways to reduce the risk of a fire.

Cardiff’s fire fighters had to skip breakfast this morning as they got an early call reporting a rubbish fire, which in the end turned out to be a building fire at the Royal Mail sorting office. Fire fighters were called to the Royal Mail centre on Penarth Road at 8.50am, after the blaze broke out in a loading bay near the delivery office just outside the Royal Mail depot’s main building.

Four fire engines attended the scene and two water bowsers were used to bring the fire under control. The fire damaged a few Royal Mail vans parked nearby but no one was injured, all 150 workers were evacuated safely and sent home for the day.

Royal Mail said customers in the CF10, CF11 and small parts of CDF23 and CF24 postal areas will have their mail delivered as soon as post men are able to get into the building again. Business mail is thought to be unaffected and collections will take place with an earlier final posting time of between 3:30pm and 4:30pm. General Manager for south and west Wales, Mr Paul Kelly said:

“We’ve had a major fire here at the sorting office this morning. Services will be disrupted this morning. We will not be delivering any post around Cardiff this morning.”

He also said they were in touch with their Swansea office and would be contacting colleagues at Bristol and Gloucester for assistance.

In County Durham kids are learning the dangers of fires in the home with the help of a “time machine”.

The Display travels back in time to show how a fire starts as part of a ongoing fire safety campaign across the region, it is aimed to make kids aware of potential Hazards. The display is shown to 10 year old children by the Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

The display begins with a major house fire using audio visual effects; it travels back in time to the moment the fire starts in a bedroom. Other messages are also passed out during the display, like the dangers of railway lines, electrical safety and crime awareness.

Member of the County Durham and Darlington Combined Fire Authority, Councillor John Robinson stated:

“The “time machine set” delivers vital fire safety messages using theatrical technology to young members of our community, to help them remember the potentially life saving advice for both themselves and their families.”

Last Friday, the services for the Channel Tunnel had to be interrupted due a fire that started when a lorry on board caught fire and flames spread quickly to other vehicles.

The fire started just before the French end, rescue teams arrived at the scene to control the flames and help 32 passengers evacuate through a service tunnel, most of them were lorry drivers, seven were English.

Some of the passengers were taken to a hospital with respiratory problems due to smoke inhalation. At the time there were no passenger trains in the tunnel.

The destruction caused by the flames are the worst in the tunnel’s history, French authorities said that in the main area of the fire temperatures reached 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832F), fire fighters managed to control the fire at around 7am UK time and spent another 2 hours putting minor fires out.

It took 300 fire fighters to control the fire and it is likely that Euro star will suffer significant delays to its services for some time.

The damage caused by the fire in 1996 took six month to repair and last week’s fire was much worst.

The HSE web site runs a monthly series debunking common H&S myths this months is an amusing one debunking the banning of the traditional poles in fire stations they say:

It was widely reported that a fire station was built without the traditional pole for ‘health and safety’ reasons.

As the county’s Chief Fire Officer said: ‘Whilst every consideration regarding health and safety was taken into account, the reason a pole was not included was purely due to space restrictions.’

Poles are not banned and firefighters around the country continue to use them.

At the week end there was a rather grim reminder of what can happen if fire safety is not given the priority it deserves.

Sunday 6th July was the 20th anniversary of the Piper Alpha Disaster. 167 oil workers perished on the North Sea platform owned by the American Occidental oil company when a gas leak ignited in a massive fireball.

Alex Salmond (Scotland’s first minister) led the tributes to the Victims.

“I hope the commemoration of the 20th anniversary provides a reminder to everyone that in these hostile, dangerous waters, safety should always be paramount.”

As a result of the disaster The Cullen Enquiry was set up to establish the cause. In November 1990, it concluded that the initial condensate leak was the result of maintenance work being carried out simultaneously on a pump and related safety valve. Piper Alpha’s operator, Occidental, was found guilty of having inadequate maintenance procedures. A second phase of the enquiry made far-reaching safety recommendations, all of which were accepted by industry.