Jump to content

Fire Extinguishers... Update: Actual fire.


inconsistant

Recommended Posts

This morning my son (7yrs old) asked why we didn't have a fire extinguisher in the house when they had them at his school. Also a house near his school had a fire last year (faulty solar panel installation apparently) and he was asking why they had to wait for the fire engines to arrive to put the fire out.

Made me wonder why we didn't have one as it seems like quite a sensible precaution (even without solar panels) as I'm usually quite risk averse and the sort of person who would have one. So I think I'll get one for the house, and probably one for the car too.

 

Is it normal or unusual to have an extinguisher at home or in the car then? Have you got one? If so what do you recommend for home and for car?

 

Advice thankyou please.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to carry a powder fire extinguisher in my MGB GT, for reasons that would have been obvious to anyone who had seen the state of the wiring.  Don't have one at home but have two in the Big Shed.  Powder ones again, from Machine Mart.  

 

I've been known to take the smaller (2kg) one from the shed and sling it in the Rover/Jag on a voyage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's a good idea to have one in the house and car tbh, even though I don't! You never know what could happen, chances are it'll never be used but on the off chance it's potentially a life saver to have at hand.

 

We have them in our vans at work. One day a hot blow torch was put away prematurely on a job site but the torch was still red hot. It touched a plastic bucket filled with paraffin wipes and set them alight, this spread to the vans racking and plastic internal lining boards! By the time anyone found out it had started it was well alight. We grabbed the small extinguisher out of the cab and sprayed the fire which pretty much instantly went out.

Without it the entire van and everything inside would have gone up by the time the fire brigade arrived. As it was the van was saved and repaired. It's scary how easily the fire started and spread.

 

I've actually just removed the ancient extinguisher from the Volvo's front footwell. It was in an awkward place really and was very very old so I've thrown it out. I'll get a new one I think and put it somewhere in the boot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a little fire extinguisher from Lidl when it was on offer at the time for the house. No idea if it'll ever be useful in an emergency, but sure will be quicker than trying to fill a bucket up from the kitchen tap if something like a candle falls over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fire officer in my work is ex fire service (station officer) he reckons they can be dangerous as they can give people a false sense of security and higher expectations of what they are capable of then use them to tackle a fire that is way beyond the extinguishers scope.

Possibly an argument for only having small extinguishers? It'll tackle/reduce a small fire, while a bigger fire you'll realise you have no hope and need to get the hell out of there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Possibly an argument for only having small extinguishers? It'll tackle/reduce a small fire, while a bigger fire you'll realise you have no hope and need to get the hell out of there!

I think that is his opinion. I remember him muttering something along the lines that anything bigger than a bin really needs the fire service, or have a go but get someone to call us whilst you do. Can always be cancelled if successful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have a couple of big powder extinguishers in the house and the garage/workshop with a couple of CO2 ones too (got from prev job!). Plus a few small (about 1Kg?) powder ones from Aldi/Lidl in other places (like bedroom) and one in every vehicle. Also have several cheapo (one-use) fire blankets in kitchen and in garage etc as they can be handy.

 

For those that think 'I'll be OK', if you've ever seen any fire brigade training videos where they simulate a burning room - that'll convince you how quick fire spreads and how you could be trapped with no means to at least try to fight your way out.

Also, those like me, who've witnessed cars on fire (not deliberately started) and how fast they become total infernos and quickly burn out shells will need no convincing. I've seen people in tears as their P&J goes up after a small engine fire started under the bonnet. 

 

Do agree with the MrCitroen's post though. If not putting self in danger, give it a go but get the water fairies on the way in the meantime, they don't get pissed if they show up and you've got the fire out, they'd rather do that than have to tackle a raging inferno or pull bodies out. (I have several mates in the Fire Service).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a big industrial foam one in the house. It was rescued from a skip when our place was being returned but had been yearly checked before that. It's still in the green now, better than nothing I guess. All the house is smoke alarmed up and carbon monoxide as well, can't be too careful with that stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was about 13 I was left home when my mum and dad went out. I was feeling a bit peckish so decided to make myself some chips. This was the 80's so we had a big chip pan. I wasn't allowed to use it. Anyway, I filled it right up with oil and then put it on the hob. I then spent a good half hour peeling and chopping chips. By the time they went in the oil was nice and hot. So hot in fact that with the excess of chips going in the oil spilled over the top and I had a huge fireball on my hands. I grabbed the powder fire extinguisher I'd secretly been dying to use for years, pointed it at the chip pan and it went out in a split second. By the time I got the extinguisher out the back door the kitchen looked like a snow scene. I didn't realise you couldn't turn them off once started. Me and my sister spent the next 3 hours cleaning it up. I still got a bollocking when they got back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^ That's where fire blankets come in, quick simple and no mess.

 

(If your folks were like mine - bet your ears were ringing for days afterwards)

Yep, a fire blanket or damp tea towel would have been a better option. I did get quite a telling off but I think they realised I'd scared myself shitless so had learned my lesson!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the fire safety courses I have been on advise against fire fighting, too. So why the hell provide fire extinguishers for us to use? A better idea would be to use some sense; if it's a small fire and you know what's burning attempt to put it out, if in doubt or fire is too big then raise the alarm and leave. I definitely agree with having fire extinguishers in every car, a larger one in the garage and good point about the home too. Personally I keep one in the car and garage along with a Civil Defence stirrup pump. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had two CO2 extinguishers in the house for years, but when I went to get them tested they said they were the wrong colour and wouldn't refill them so now we have none.

We have got two on the boat because you can't walk away if that catches fire. Which, believe me, is the best thing to do if a car catches fire. Its going to be a write-off even if you put it out and it could well go boom whilst you are trying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Every company I've ever done H&S inductions for advise that extinguishers are just for making an exit - so if there is a fire between you and the only exit you use an extinguisher.

 

If you can exit without using an extinguisher, you find your spot in the carpark to watch the place burn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

For those that think 'I'll be OK', if you've ever seen any fire brigade training videos where they simulate a burning room - that'll convince you how quick fire spreads and how you could be trapped with no means to at least try to fight your way out.

Also, those like me, who've witnessed cars on fire (not deliberately started) and how fast they become total infernos and quickly burn out shells will need no convincing. I've seen people in tears as their P&J goes up after a small engine fire started under the bonnet.

 

We got shown this at a training course to show how bad things can get in six minutes. I remember it but hadn't seen it before. Be warned, it's quite horrifying to watch.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This used to live in my 106 Rallye, clipped in front of the passenger seat; I forget why I'd removed it when I sold the car to my mate.

 

post-20573-0-12932800-1487795332_thumb.jpg

 

I don't know how good it would be at fighting fires, but I reckon it'd be an excellent self defence weapon- if someone comes at you, spray the powder in their face, spang them round the head with the extinguisher body, then make use of the knuckle duster bit.

 

I hear stories of powder extinguishers ending up not working because the powder ends up compacted into a block- can anyone confirm? If so, you'd think that being bounced about in a car would be especially bad for them. Shaking this one, it doesn't seem as if there's much moving around inside it.

 

I'd like to buy a couple of CO2 extinguishers for home and car, but I'm a right stingy bastard. Can anyone recommend a cheap supplier?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having done a bit of fire training as a motorsports marshal, I can safely say putting a fire out is a damn sight harder than it looks, even with a decent sized extinguisher.  In a kitchen I'd look for a fire blanket first, and anywhere else I'd just concentrate on getting myself and anyone else the fuck away from the fire, rather than finding the extinguisher, reckoning up if it's the correct type for the type of fire, figuring out how to get the pin out, etc.

 

I'm not saying don't have one, but tbh I think the size of extinguisher you might carry in a car are more suitable as described previously, as a window smasherer or would-be-assailant-disabler.

 

If anyone's got an out of date extinguisher it wouldn't be a bad idea to light a small fire in the back garden or whatever (that can't get out of hand, obvs) and see if you can actually put it out.  Might give an idea of it's capabilities (and yours) before an emergency situation presents itself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Breadvan72

I have twice awoken in a burning house, and got out.  Once my uncle set fire to the kitchen while defying 1970s male norms by trying to cook breakfast. Another time in the late 80s my brother fell asleep with a heater near a curtain.  All were OK on both occasions, but it was alarming.  There is a fuggoff fire blanket in the current kitchen.  

 

A car extinguisher might just save yer engine but you would have to be mucho quick in reacting, getting the bonnet up and so on.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...