MEETING THE MENACE OF FIRE.
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A Survey of the Modern Means for Dealing with Outbreaks of Fire in Garages and Other Buildings and on Vehicles.
A LTEfOUGH the efficient protection from fire of garages and motor vehicles is a matter of vital importance, unfortunately, in many instances, it is one which is often sadly neglected, to the ultimate perplexity and dismay of the owner, whether it is his building or vehicle, when he has to gaze helplessly at its complete destruction, although, on the outbreak of the fire the handiness of any efficient fire extinguisher would have limited the damage probably to a very small extent.
In cases where the local authoriti.ss fire protection of garages, the necessary appliances are naturally retained, whilst in the case of motor vehicles licensed to carry passengers, particularly in the Metropolitan Police area, where each vehicle must carry extinguishers this protection is
provided.
Dealing briefly and separately with garages, there is always lurking the unseen risk from leaky petrol, faulty ignition, etc. Garaged vehicles should not be crowded together, and sufficient space to give access to all sides of each vehicle should be allowed for. Further, the garage should be properly lighted, for dark parts in a garage necessitate the striking of matches to search for any object required, with the consequent attendant risk. The electric light installation should be strictly safeguarded by correct wiring and good insulation; many fires, let it be observed, occur through the altering of wiring by employees not experienced in the work. Cleanliness and the avoiding of accumulation of waste are highly important : oily cotton waste should be kept in proper metal bins and removed from the premises each day, as fires arise from spontaneous combustion of such waste. Moisture is a factor in spontaneous combustion and to the fact that the night air is often damp is due many such fires. There should be no openings in the garage floor where oil, petrol or a burning match could penetrate. Strict rules should be enforced with regard to smelting, for the usual notices placed about premises are often ignored, and employees should be instrncted to keep a close watch upon persons entering the garage to see that this all-important risk is avoided. Garages can be readily protected by the provision of„eftieient fire extinguishers, and it can be safely said that when such appliances are available, employees and others are given confidence should an outbreak occur, provided, of course, that the necessary instructions are given to them regarding their use. This condition we consider to be vital, otherwise when the emergency occurs the existence of the necessary appliance is often forgotten.
Dealing with actual fire extinguishers, these can be divided into three classes, viz., soda-and-acid, foam and carbon tetrachloride, all in portable form.
The soda-and-acid extinguishers, usually supplied of two-gallon capacity, are in some types brought into action by striking the knob at the top, and others by reversing the machines, both -of which actions release the acid contained in a glass vial, which, coming into contact with the liquid charge in the body of the machine, forms CO2 gas, and the liquid is ejected under pressure to a distance of 40 ft. to 50 ft. This type of machine is generally adopted for general garage work, particularly the protection of the structure, etc.
The foam type is a machine which is usually brought into use by being reversed, which action allows two liquids to mix, also creating pressure, and the extinguisher ejects a special foam-like adhesive liquid which is effective in the case of petrol or oil fires, owing to the foam floating on the surface of the burning liquid and smothering the flame. Water, as is well known, does not extinguish a petrol fire, as it simply goes below the spirit.
The carbon-tetrachloride fire extinguisher is very efficient in the event of either liquid, electrical, or motor engine fires. This appliance is usually made in a quart capacity, the liquid being directed on the fire by a double-acting handpump. On contact with the fire, this liquid is converted into a heavy vapour, which excludes the oxygen and has a smothering effect. Care is necessary when using such extinguishers in enclosed premises owing to the fumes that are given off.
The fire protection of garages is often decided by the local authorities or the insurance company, who specify their requirements, but the fleet engineer can rest content that by the judicious provision of either, or a combination of the aforesaid appliances, he will establish a definite feeling of security, provided always that he conducts an occasional fire drill, which must be taken seriously by the men.
Finally, with regard to motor vehicles, it is found that the most convenient form of extinguisher to carry is the carbon-tetrachloride one-quart type, and in many instances, particularly on heavy lorries or tractors, the driver is provided with two appliances. Some bus concerns equip their vehicles with two extinguishers apiece. Not only have drivers in hundreds of cases been able to save their vehicles and loads from complete destruction, but records have shown many instances of lorries which carry such extinguishers being able to render first-aid to other drivers whose vehicles have been in danger of complete destruction. Not long ago we saw a bus driver pull up in a London thoroughfare, run with his extinguisher to a van afire under its bonnet and put out the blaze in the matter of moments.
Insurance Does Not Compensate for All Losses.
Frequently, reports appear in the Press of serious fires which, in many cases, give the information that the loss is covered by insurance, and the average person reading that the property was insured acquires a certain feeling that the owner of the property will be quite happy, owing to this precaution. Do they consider, however, and appreciate that this loss must affect the community generally through the loss of business, owing to destruction of buildings and material and through the employees thrown out of work? Another point overlooked is the fact that, if fires were fewer, insurance premiums would be lower.
Without going boo closely into detail, we propose to indicate the various fire extinguishers which are prominently • on the market, prefacing our list with the remark that it must not be regarded as comprehensive, but rather as being typieal of the appliances available.
The Valor extinguishers include at least seven types. Pour of these, the Fydrant (plunger pattern), the New Era (plunger pattern or reversible) and the Fyront (reversible) are suitable for buildings; the Foamera deals with oils and inflammable liquids, the C.T.C. is the one-quart estinguisher for carrying on a vehicle, whilst the Laver is a dry-powder extinguisher. A vehicle can be equipped for 45s., a refill costing 6s., whilst the extinguisher of the plunger and reversible types costs from £3 10s. to 15, refills costing from Ls. 8d. up to 4s., the foam-type refills costing from 3s. 6d. to 6s. 6d. according to size. The Valor Co., Ltd., of Bromford, Erdington, Birmingham, and 120, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1, will send to any applicant a free booklet on fire prevention if the name of this journal be mentioned.
The Well-known Pyrene Extinguisher.
The Pyrene Co., Ltd., of 9, Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.1, rendered a great service to the motor community when it introduced the handy Pyrene extinguisher, for it has saved many a vehicle and many a building. For the garage and any building where oil and petrol and other free-burning materials are stored or used, the Phome.ne fire extinguisher is the appliance made by this company. It produces a light cohesive foam composed of minute bubbles of COI gas, which floats on the surface of burning materials and cuts off the supply of oxygen. The apparatus is made in sires of 1 gallon, 2 gallons, 10 gallons and 34 gallons, and the advice of the makers should be obtained as to the size to be installed. The Pyrene extinguisher has been sold in hundreds of thousands, and is valuable because it takes up little room and yet is so efficient. It is better than a Foam appliance for a vehicle for this reason :—The usual place for an outbreak of fire in any motor vehicle is the carburetter. The fire may be caused by a leaking feed pipe allowing the level of the petrol to become low, with the result that a very weak mixture is taken into the cylinder and a backfire results. A backfire often takes place when starting up an engine, because of the level of petrol in the carburetter being low through insufficient flooding. The chief engineer of an important hits concern told us that they have a large number of backfires in the winter when starting up from cold. A fire from such a cause can be easily extinguished by means of one or two strokes of the Pyrene extinguisher, whereas in the case of foam the whole appliance would have to be used and the bus would have to be washed down to remove the foam.
Dust in a carburetter jet will cause more than one fire if it is not removed, and a Pyrene can easily deal with two
or three outbreaks. It is the best means, too, of dealing with petrol afire in an undershield and with fires caused by the short-circuiting of an electric current. Carbon tetrachloride (lees not freeze; foam extinguishers should be protected from frost.
Made at Feltham, Middlesex, where the head office of the company is also situated, the extinguishers made by Minimax, Ltd., embrace the tetrachloride and the foam types and an appliance which is a combination of the two forms. The type 1/ is a hand pump and a large-capacity air pump, both suitable for use on a vehicle; the Frowave is a 1-gallon or 2-gallon foam appliance ; the L.T. is of half a gallon capacity, and in combination with the carbon tetrachloride produces the foam of 002 bubbles.
The name of Merryweather is a household word in firefighting. Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., of Greenwich Road, London, S.E.10, make,a conical fire extinguisher, known as Fire-Suda, which emits a smothering foam of CO, bubbles of a very tenacious character. It has many triumphs to its credit and is made in a 1-gallon size for use on a vehicle, a 2-gallon size and a 5-gallon size, whilst an engine of 20gallons capacity is made.
Some Foam-Suds Extinguishers.
Associated Fire Alarms, Ltd., of Serom Rouse, Redcross Street, London, 11.0.1, include in their range the 2-pint
carbon-tetrachloride extinguisher, different types of acid and soda appliances and a Fomal foam emitter in two types— one for use in a building and the other for use on transport vehicles, each with a 2-gallon capacity. In addition a 30gallon fire-engine of the soda-acid type is used mounted on, a wheeled carriage.
Foamite Firef cam, Ltd., 24-26, Maddox Street, London, W.1, makes extinguishers not only of the Firefoam type of appliance; but also the soda-acid and carbon-tetrachloride types.
• The Firefoam appliances are made in sizes from 2 gallons to 34 gallons, the 2-gallon type being generally regarded as the standard type. A modification of the 2-gallon Firefoam extinguisher is put up for marine work, having a reinforcing collar below the rap in order to comply with certain Board of Trade regulations.
The 2-gallon type of extinguisher will produce 16 gallons of Firefoam, and it can be operated at a distance of 25 ft. from the fire, the foam stream being easily directed on to the burning surface.
One of the pieces of advice which is generally issued is that, in the case of inflammable liquids, Firefoam should be. allowed to fall as lightly as possible, so that it shall blanket the flames more effectively.
The 34-gallon type of machine, • supported on two wheels, will produce 272 gallons of Firefoam.
For dealing with incipient fires, a fire pail is generally recommended, and it should be used in lieu of the ordinary water buckets wherever inflammable liquids are stored or
used. For carrying upon • vehicles, the Fire-gun extinguisher, charged with carbon tetrachloride, is marketed by
this company, whilst for use upon free-burning materials and where inflammable liquids are not present, the soda-acid Firespray extinguisher should be employed. • The handbook published by this company is full of useful informa. that for dealing with fires small or great.