123hotchef
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sand or a fire blanket
- Thread starter brightspark
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brightspark
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correct
someone put a water extinguisher on it and it flared up goodstyle and made it worse . it was raked out and dampened down with a slow water hose by fire brigade
Gareth J
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was working at a factory and a rather large belt sander set on fire because of a large build up of sawdust set on fire . which extinguisher would u use to put it out and why
A bit of a fire in some sawdust?
Probably no extinguisher.
My experience with sawdust burning is that (unless contaminated with oil or something) it smoulders very slowly and generates a lot of smoke before it actually burbs with a flame. Even then it doesn't burn very aggressively.
If found as early as I'd expect (with all the smouldering smoke) I'd probably either just flip the embers onto the floor and stomp them or if that was too risky (and it is a bit risky) a cup of water.
If it had really caught hold and had started to catch bits of the machine - plastic conduit, wiring, paint, oil etc that's a bit different.
We had a lucky escape a few years ago.
Directly next to my warehouse is a pallet repair business. One night someone decided to rip open the cladding on the building and pour in a gallon of petrol. All on cctv but wearing a hood!
Fortunately stacks of pallets and crates of pallet blocks don't burn as well as you would think. What saved him and us though was that the fire burnt through the main alkythene water pipe. The fire burned for 2 hrs before it was finally reported. Right next to a busy road. I know it was 2am but plenty of passing traffic.
He lost a transit van and a stack of pallets. Could have been so much worse - thank God for that waterpipe.
Directly next to my warehouse is a pallet repair business. One night someone decided to rip open the cladding on the building and pour in a gallon of petrol. All on cctv but wearing a hood!
Fortunately stacks of pallets and crates of pallet blocks don't burn as well as you would think. What saved him and us though was that the fire burnt through the main alkythene water pipe. The fire burned for 2 hrs before it was finally reported. Right next to a busy road. I know it was 2am but plenty of passing traffic.
He lost a transit van and a stack of pallets. Could have been so much worse - thank God for that waterpipe.
Shox Dr
Chief Engineer to Carlos Fandango
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I was at a bike rally a fews ago the fire was in a large crater, too much wood was thrown on, causing embers to drift on to near by tents. Fire tender turned up and proceeded to put it out with water. All this did was evaporate into huge plumes of steam and hot ash on contact with the fire causing even more embers to emit.
People were going crazy with the fire service, but they wouldnt stop, countless tents that wouldnt have been burnt were, if they'd of left it alone it would have died down by itself.
We found if using water it can 'cap' the sawdust, leaving embers within the pile, as soon as it's hot enough it re-ignites. So the next time a DC servo brake caught fire on a moulder, we isolated the 3ph evacuated the building and dug the sawdust/shavings out into steel dust bins.
Why did they change the colours of extinguishers? At one time you could see what the type was, now you have to read the damn label, wasting precious time, or worse pickup the wrong type
People were going crazy with the fire service, but they wouldnt stop, countless tents that wouldnt have been burnt were, if they'd of left it alone it would have died down by itself.
We found if using water it can 'cap' the sawdust, leaving embers within the pile, as soon as it's hot enough it re-ignites. So the next time a DC servo brake caught fire on a moulder, we isolated the 3ph evacuated the building and dug the sawdust/shavings out into steel dust bins.
Why did they change the colours of extinguishers? At one time you could see what the type was, now you have to read the damn label, wasting precious time, or worse pickup the wrong type
It was an EU law that changed the colours -a pet hate of mine. Apparently it was because of a small minority who are colour blind. As a concession to Britain they allowed us to keep a small coloured band around each one.
Will it change when we leave? Don't be silly!
Will it change when we leave? Don't be silly!
Maker
Most folk just call me; Orange Joe
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Surely the old colored ones had some writing on them too?
angellonewolf
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when i did the fire traing years ago was told then never mix electric and water always co2 but if sawdust was involved might just leave it to the pros 
Ton-up
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I have been in maintenance in the timber industry for 25 years and have seen a few fires. They are ok unless they have a draught, i.e motor fan, pierced airline, etc. Always try to put it out with slow water or removing it as said. The worst ones are the ones in extraction systems (luckily only seen one)
When I was a lot younger, just started at new job, there was a fire in a 40ft high sawdust storage silo, fire brigade turn up and go to open a door in the bottom.
Maintenance guy : DON'T TOUCH THAT DOOR!!
fireman : don't worry it will be all right.
MG : don't touch that door.
F : look, I know what I'm doing.
MG : I'm telling you, do not open that door..
F : I need to get water in.
MG: Put it in the top, there's a small port.
F: nah, this'll do...
BOOM!!!!!
Fireman was thrown across the car park!!!!
When I was a lot younger, just started at new job, there was a fire in a 40ft high sawdust storage silo, fire brigade turn up and go to open a door in the bottom.
Maintenance guy : DON'T TOUCH THAT DOOR!!
fireman : don't worry it will be all right.
MG : don't touch that door.
F : look, I know what I'm doing.
MG : I'm telling you, do not open that door..
F : I need to get water in.
MG: Put it in the top, there's a small port.
F: nah, this'll do...
BOOM!!!!!
Fireman was thrown across the car park!!!!
Shox Dr
Chief Engineer to Carlos Fandango
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Next time I'm at the yard, I'll take a picture of the aftermath of a sawdust/shaving silo fire. Not sure what caused it, but 4x25hp fans sure did help it along
Parm
Respect The Sound System
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Quite lucky that this unfortunate fire didn't create a dust explosion from the dust created by the sanding operations of your previous neighbour
Parm
Respect The Sound System
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Bosley Mill is the dust explosion fire of note
The_Yellow_Ardvark
https://www.death-clock.org/
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It was banned for the cancer causing. The Ozone layer was tagged on as it was going favour with the tree huggers.
It is no longer in use and is being phased out. Normally at the end of the units life. 5 years after a DTR.
Water extinguisher's are mainly found in areas of food production. Normally farms.
A 6lt foam has a higher rating than a 9lt water.
As to water being best for a wood fire, sadly not. Foam will beat water on a smouldering wood fires. as it will "seal".
addjunkie
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Following the 1996 montreal protocol the halons were being phased out. The extinguisher type, green bottles were halon 1211, superb fire fighting agent but very carcenogenic, dont use in enclosed spaces as you cant breathe it either. The other was halon1301, used in enclosed spaces, computer rooms engine rooms, turbine enclosures, all the london underground switch rooms post kings cross fire. You only needed 5% by volume to put a fire out, in a well sealed space, and you could breathe it.
The replacments didnt really catch on as you couldnt breathe them and concerntrations were similar to co2. And costs were higher.
Many systems in machinety spaces, turbine enclosures and such wre replaced with " water mist" which is more an un aspirated afff foam spray system.
The_Yellow_Ardvark
https://www.death-clock.org/
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Now being superseded by high volume foam mist propelled by an inert gas, normally CO2
Shox Dr
Chief Engineer to Carlos Fandango
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I used to work in a small (6x12m) shopfitting w/shop. We'd been using the usual stuff; robital sanders, table saw etc. As always the air was full of fine dust [mainly chipboard and MDF] so retired to a small office for a brew when there was a flash and a rolling woooooooff, followed by the door pinning me to the opposite wall.
The propane heater had ignited the dust, we used to leave the doors open after that.
Parm
Respect The Sound System
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You are very lucky!!!
Ive had an extensive briefing from the inspector, Investigating Bosley
On another note, I sit next to the lead investigator looking after Didcot, it ain't a pretty storey
Shox Dr
Chief Engineer to Carlos Fandango
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Ey' it was a nipper at the time.
I had to google Bosley.
. Didcot. Was that a dust explosion?
