More than 400 people in Germany die every year as a result of a fire, with about 95% of these deaths due to smoke poisoning.

 

 

 

How does a fire actually occur?

First of all 3 factors must be present:

• Oxygen
• Combustible material
• Thermal Energy                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Here are two examples:

A particularly impressive video of a room fire caused by a fallen cigarette is provided by EI Electronics.

A sports jersey is placed on a radiator to dry. The plastic part of the jersey is about 40%. The flame-retardant temperature of the plastic is 250° C. The oxygen content in the room is approx. 21%. The electrical heating (thermal energy) has a max. conductor temperature of 1500° C.

When the jersey overheats, the actual firing process begins. The smoke rises, spreads under the ceiling and then sinks.

 

And this is the great danger – because fire smoke is

• noiseless
• NOT to smell during sleep! – not even for pets! And already 3-4 breaths can be sufficient, in order to release an unconsciousness…
• toxically
• mortally

Fire smoke contains highly toxic components such as carbon monoxide, hydrocyanic acid, hydrochloric acid, sulphur dioxide and phosgene.

Within only 3! minutes the visibility decreases so far by the developed smoke that you can lose your orientation and can no longer get to safety.

From only 1 kg paper or cardboard (books or magazines) about 800 – 1000 m³ smoke gas is released, from only 10 kg foam rubber (mattresses or sofas) about 20 000 m³ smoke gas is released. If you consider that an apartment with 100 m² and a ceiling height of 2.50 m has 250 m³, you can imagine how quickly and how densely these rooms are smoked in the event of a fire.

 

By the way: Children under the age of 6 are particularly at risk in the event of fire, as they are more likely to hide than try to escape from fire or smoke. Therefore – in case of danger in children’s rooms, always check under the beds or in the wardrobe whether there are still children in the room!

 

 

It is relatively easy to protect yourself against fire smoke poisoning by installing smoke alarms in bedrooms and corridors or in rooms which are the escape routes from such lounges/bedrooms.

Because 70% of fatal fires occur at night.

Where and how many smoke alarms should be installed can be read in another article.

 

But: In case of a fire or if the smoke alarm has triggered – How to behave?

Here you can inform yourself.

And still another tip for schools, pupils and educators: There is a great pupil competition “120 Sek. um zu überleben” also for International Schools in Germany to the behavior in the case of fire:

When the smoke detector sounds the alarm, there are only 120 seconds left to survive. What to do? The student competition for grades 7-10 is designed to help students learn how to behave correctly in the event of a fire and to communicate this knowledge through a creative campaign. Here is the student_competition_registration_and_explanation_2019 for schools

Attention: It is advisable to submit your application by 20.11.2019 at the latest.

 

 

 

The Institute for Plastics Technology (IKT) at the University of Stuttgart and the Institute for Textile Chemistry and Chemical Fibres Denkendorf (ITCF) jointly carried out research on flame-retardant polyamides for textile and plastics technology as part of a joint industrial research project (AiF-iGF).

 

 

It has now been succeeded in synthesizing an intrinsically flame-retardant polyamide which contains the flame-retardant component chemically bound in the polymer chain.

This new manufacturing process combines high flame retardancy with improved physical and physiological properties of textiles.

 

Dr. Georgios Mourgas, scientific assistant at the DITF Denkendorf, is in charge of this project and explains the advantages:

“Usually, large amounts of flame-retardant phosphorus compounds are added to the polymers as additives in order to achieve a good fire protection effect. And this usually happens at the expense of the physical and physiological properties of the textiles. In addition, these phosphorus compounds added in large quantities as additives prevent the necessary long molecular chains from forming and thus act as chain breakers. The resulting plastic cannot be processed into fibres at all or only with great difficulty, and due to aging and washing processes the additive emerges from the fibre over time.

 

 

With the new process, only small amounts of phosphorus compounds are required to achieve comparably good flame retardancy.

The compounds are chemically coupled to the molecular chains and thus bonded to the polymer much more firmly than would be possible with additive admixtures.

These polyamides are called intrinsically flame retardant.

This means that the flame retardant is built directly into the polyamide. This enables us to achieve a permanent, long-lasting “flame retardant effect”.

 

Laboratory tests have already shown that flame retardancy is just as good as that of polyamides to which additives have been added. In addition, the chemical bonding of the flame retardants to the polymers prevents migration and leaching from the fibers due to ageing, as is observed with the use of additives. Not only does the flame retardancy remain completely intact, physiological skin compatibility is also improved: Intrinsically flame-retardant polyamides release virtually no phosphorus compounds.

Skin compatibility tests rate this type of polyamide as good.

In their application, textiles made from our intrinsically flame-retardant polyamides show their advantages especially where high flame-retardant requirements are placed on the materials,” Dr. Mourgas describes the practical use of the new polymers.

“This is particularly the case for home textiles with carpets, upholstery and seat covers or curtains. However, as is so often the case with new developments, further fields of application may open up as soon as the product becomes available on the market.

     

 

Until now, mattresses in hotels were often protected with toxic flame retardants. Now things are getting healthier – and more environmentally friendly: Empa researchers have developed an environmentally friendly and economical synthesis for non-toxic flame retardants.

 

 

The flame retardant expert Sabyasachi Gaan developed EDA-DOPO at Empa in two years of research work as part of the Eureka SUSPUR project. This was initiated by the FoamPartner Group, which wanted to expand its product range with environmentally friendly, flame-retardant PU foams. The company is currently the sole licensee for EDA-DOPO for PU foam production. The substance is produced exclusively by Metadynea Austria GmbH.

 

Flame retardant upholstery is prescribed above all for areas where many people are present: Airplanes, trains and buses, hotels and restaurants. Flame retardants prevent inflammation, for example by cigarettes or vandalism. But here, too, environmental standards are becoming ever stricter.

 

Evaporation of flame retardants into the ambient air and the atmosphere is undesirable, and the toxic gases that can be produced during a fire are becoming less and less acceptable.

 

Many countries have already banned halogenated flame retardants. The demand for modern, harmless alternatives is therefore growing all over the world.

Here you can see an interesting video to this topic. 

 

 

 

 

In Germany, around 200,000 residential fires occur every year. The smoke generated by domestic fires is particularly dangerous because it spreads many times faster than fire.

 

In just a few seconds, the familiar surroundings can smoke so much that life is in danger.

Smoke alarms are an important component of preventive fire protection.

 

By the way, in almost all federal states of Germany there is a smoke detector obligation for all bedrooms, children’s rooms and corridors which lead from common rooms with at least one smoke or wireless smoke detector.                  

 

An overview of international regulations can be found here.

Battery-powered smoke detectors are not expensive. You can buy them in electronics stores, DIY stores and the technical departments of department stores. A battery-operated smoke detector of good quality can be purchased for significantly less than 10 euros.

However, we recommend the purchase of a smoke detector with the quality mark Q.
The quality seal “Q” for smoke detectors is a registered trademark of Forum Brandrauchprävention e.V., which is awarded to manufacturers of smoke detectors. The quality mark Q for smoke detectors (“Q for quality”) is a brand-independent and above all reliable quality mark for really high-quality devices, which are particularly suitable for long-term use.

You can find more information here. (Sorry – only available in German language)

 

The basic requirements for obtaining the quality seal Q for smoke detectors are first of all the existence of the CE marking. The CE mark confirms the manufacturer’s compliance with the basic requirements for smoke alarms.
Corresponding technical requirements and applicable test procedures can be found in the European product standard DIN 14604. In addition, the smoke alarm device must also include information on installation and maintenance, for example.
While in principle it is not planned to subject the manufacturer’s data required for obtaining the CE mark to a separate test, smoke detectors with the Q mark are proverbially put through their paces by an independent institute.   

 

 

In cooperation with the vfdb (Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection), additional requirements and stricter test criteria were developed for this purpose, which are laid down in the vfdb Guideline 14-01 as well as in VdS 3131 (VdS Guideline for Smoke Detectors).

 

In addition to the relevant requirements of the product standard DIN EN 14604, it is a prerequisite for Q smoke detectors, for example, that the device has a permanently installed battery with a service life of at least ten years. If the battery life of 10 years has expired, the device must be removed and replaced with a new smoke or radio smoke detector.

 

The Q seal thus serves as a kind of aid for the consumer to be able to recognise high-quality devices as easily as possible. The purchase of a smoke detector is thus made considerably easier, especially for laypersons, and gives the consumer the good feeling of having purchased a reliable device.

 

Conversely, this of course does not mean that smoke detectors without Q are necessarily less reliable or worse than models with the quality label. The testing according to the criteria of the vfdb directive 14-01 as well as the issue of a corresponding Q certificate does not take place automatically with every smoke detector, but exclusively on the initiative of the manufacturer or distributor.

 

• Please note in general when purchasing:
  All devices should work on an optical basis.
• An acoustic signal should be present when the battery is weak. (average battery life approx. one to three years). Otherwise change the batteries at least once a year (observe manufacturer’s instructions).
  The device should have a CE mark and be tested (GS mark).
• The volume should be at least 85 dB.
• The devices should have a test button.
• In larger flats, single-family homes or apartment blocks, the devices should be networkable. Then, for example, a cellar fire will also be indicated by the other detectors installed in the apartment. In kitchens or bathrooms, you should not install any detectors, as cooking or water fumes can quickly trigger a false alarm.

 

By the way:

Since conventional smoke detectors are naturally unusable for deaf people, various manufacturers offer smoke detectors with corresponding additional functions or optional accessories (flashing lights, vibration cushions).

 

 

These special systems are eligible for funding under the Bavarian Housing Programme as a precautionary measure for adapting homes to the requirements of people with disabilities and corresponding applications can be submitted to the relevant approval authorities. In this context, however, the minor limit of 1000 euros must be observed.

 

 

It is still not clear why this devastating fire occurred in this beautiful old church.

The fact is, however, that there were several possibilities that could trigger the fire:

 

 

On the one hand, it has been proven that the workers involved in the renovation had violated the strict smoking ban.  Allegedly 7 cigarette butts were found at the scene of the crime.

Secondly, according to the newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné, the fire brigade was not called until 35 minutes after the first fire alarm.

 

And another important reason for a fire is certainly the fact that the clergy, in violation of all safety regulations, had electrical striking mechanisms for several bells installed in the crossing tower.

 

The laying of electrical cables was strictly forbidden in the area of the ancient dry beams from the 13th century due to the danger of short circuits.

 

Unfortunately, such catastrophes occur again and again because people carelessly deal with the so important fire protection regulations.

 

The subject of fire by cigarettes and fire by short circuits will be discussed again in separate articles.

 

 

Summer is coming and the e-bikers are on their way again. In 2018, approximately 980,000 e-bikes were sold in Germany and the trend is increasing. E-bikes are simply comfortable, now affordable and offer a whole new cycling experience.

 

BUT: Lithium batteries are also used in e-bikes. Lithium batteries are small, lightweight and efficient. They are mainly used in devices such as notebooks and mobile phones, but also in battery-powered vehicles such as electric bicycles.

A bicycle battery consists of 30-40 battery cells. If only one of these cells is defective, the resulting heat generation sets a chain reaction in motion – the stored energy is instantly released, sparks are generated and set the battery on fire.

“The number of fires increases with the number of lithium batteries. This is no reason to demonize this design, but we should all be aware of the risk,” says Dr. Hans-Hermann Drews, Managing Director of the Institute for Loss Prevention and Damage Research (IFS).

Here is a very descriptive video about the danger of lithium batteries.

 

These are some rules you should follow to reduce the risk of fire:

 

• Only use the charger recommended by the manufacturer.

• Avoid extreme temperatures or wetness – this means that even a cold garage is not a suitable place to winter your bicycle battery. Store the battery in a cool, dry place with about 60% of the charge capacity.

• The battery takes about ten minutes to adapt to the room temperature, otherwise it can inflate and ignite during charging.

• Since the majority of fires occur during the charging period, you should charge the batteries in a room with a smoke detector, ideally on stone floors and out of reach of flammable materials, or outside in a weather-protected place.

• To avoid overloading, chargers should not be operated from multiple sockets.

  If you discover any damage to the battery, it must never be used again. After a fall, for example, e-bike riders should have the battery checked as a precaution.

• Unlike normal bicycles, e-bikes must carry a CE mark. This indicates that the manufacturer has complied with all applicable regulations during production and that the battery complies with the EU standard. This means that batteries are protected against overcharging, deep discharge, short circuits, extreme temperatures and vibrations. Accordingly, the Allgemeine Deutsche Fahrrad-Club (ADFC) advises to classify pedelecs without this symbol as unsafe and to avoid them. In addition, experts recommend that when purchasing electric bicycles, the GS seal (stands for tested safety) should be observed, which indicates high product safety requirements.

• If you do not use your e-bike for a long time, you should clean the bike and connection carefully. First charge the battery only half and then check the battery level every four weeks and recharge if necessary. If the e-bike is left unused in the basement for a longer period of time, the battery may be deeply discharged. Often ten weeks are enough and the battery is damaged. This increases the risk of the battery catching fire.

• Charging stations in public places or in front of hotels are also ideal for refuelling.

Important, in case something really happens: Lithium reacts with water, so  fires triggered by Li-Ion batteries should only be suffocated with sand or blankets.

_{The Institut für Schadenverhütung und Schadenforschung e. V. was founded in 1976. It goes back to the Fire Prevention Laboratory, which was founded in 1884 by the Schleswig-Holsteinische Lan-desbrandkasse. Today, the association with headquarters in Kiel has nine locations nationwide. A team of natural scientists and engineers investigates in the emphasis fire and fire damages, tap water and humidity damages. The findings from the cause investigations serve the general prevention of damage and are made accessible to the public.}