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Fire Extinguisher Disaster.

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A customer of mine had a new 6kg powder fire extinguisher in its cardboard box in the back of his van. The fire extinguisher was not installed in its holder as per its instructions. It just slid about in the back of the van bumping about as the van hit pot holes.


Unexpectedly  the extinguisher automatically discharged filling the van with  powder while my customer was driving it. The customer's old dad was in the van at the time as a passenger, and it was difficult getting him out quickly from the powder laden air inside the van. Both men had to attend hospital to be checked over.


A lesson to be learned there I think.


Z.


  • 0

    Alasdair Anderson:

    Another point is if you do fit a fire extinguisher in its holder, think about where to fit it for ease/speed of access. The most likely location for a fire is the engine compartment, so I was astounded once to spot a fire extinguisher someone had mounted on the underside of his car's bonnet....




    There are two issues here. 1. If you are trapped in the car and need to use the extinguisher it is best to be within arm's reach. Some people have it fixed by a bracket under the front of the driver's seat for example. But an engine fire will probably require a person to exit the car and blast the engine from the outside with the bonnet just slightly open.. or through the front engine grille.


    2. If the fire extinguisher is mounted on a bracket inside the rear boot (trunk) it encourages the driver to exit the vehicle quickly in case if fire, which some experts suggest is a good thing. 


    So, just which is the best location for a fire extinguisher?


    Personally I have more than one fire extinguisher in my vehicles, mainly powder. But in the warm weather when freezing is not a problem I have foam types as well. B.C.F. was good and clean, but is now outlawed due to ozone layer depletion problems.


    Z.

  • 0
    I much prefer CO2 fire extinguishers to dry powder.

    All my vehicles and several rooms in my house have at least one.

    The problem with dry powder is that unless the extinguisher is regularly upturned and  shaken the powder clumps together at the bottom and won't work properly after a while.

    (Perhaps allowing it to roll around in the van was a good idea)

    I've seen them completely fail on occasions, particularly small ones.

    Whereas with CO2 there is very little that can go wrong with it.

    As long as the horn and pipework are examined regularly and the extinguisher weighed they last forever.

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