Firefighting – cutting it down to size

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As recent events have shown, large warehouse fires can be notoriously difficult to tackle. But a system based on cutting through layers of insulation could make fighting fires less dangerous in future, as Ron Alalouff discovers.

Warehouse fires – or more accurately fires in large, uncompartmented or single storey buildings, are the scourge of the commercial fire safety world at the moment. With the fire at the Atherstone warehouse last year which killed four firefighters still fresh in our minds, as well as the more recent fire at a South Korean warehouse in the final stages of construction where 40 workers died, these events kill as well as cost millions for businesses, insurers and the environment.

Much of the debate surrounding these fires revolves around the respective roles of sprinkler systems and composite panels. However, as the Atherstone fire highlighted all too starkly, the issue of tackling such fires is also a major issue. If firefighters at serious fires believe that the building is constructed in such a way as to make it dangerous to enter or to tackle actively, and there is no immediate risk to people, they will take a defensive ‘stance’, concentrating on stopping the fire spreading rather than necessarily saving the building.

Cutting it

A system developed in the UK and manufactured in Sweden may be one way of fighting these dangerous fires – without subjecting firefighters to any increased risk. The system is based on Diajet technology which was developed by BHR Group in the UK. Swedish licensee of the technology, CCS, have produced the Cobra firefighting system, which was manufactured to cut through layers of cladding and insulation in warehouses and other buildings to get access to a fire.

The unit does not necessarily extinguish a large, deep-seated fire, but does have the following effects:

– It cools the fire and prevents volatilisation of the flammables, thereby with minimal water denying fuel to the fire.

– It blasts a mist deep into the building effectively reaching the fire, ‘freezing’ it, and preventing backdraft when fresh oxygen enters.

– Close up it can blast water and, if needed, low rise foam deep into wood, insulation, peat beds etc reaching deep seated fires.

The manufacturers do not claim that it is a blanket solution for all types of fire, but it is easily deployable and uses minimal water and a much smaller hose than conventional systems. This makes it more suitable for fast, first response vehicles and distributed firefighting deployment, as opposed to large monolithic central stations. Using modern GPS communications, the suppliers believe it should be possible to have this facility on a small van parked at critical locations – much the same as the ambulance services now work.

The guiding principle for the company is to develop and provide tools for the fire and rescue service industry to:

– increase safety for firefighters and other rescue staff

– improve efficiency and speed on site

– reduce damage and cost for victims and insurance companies.

Roll out

CCS-Cobra has been sold in 14 countries including, last year, to West Midlands Fire and Rescue in the UK. The technology can be delivered in both a hand lance and a fixed cage, mounted lance version. The company also has other products in the portfolio based on the same cutting technology. The Cold Tap is a tool for the safe removal of explosive gases and liquids during accidents with tankers or pipelines. The Silo Cutter is a tool for cutting holes in silos without risking igniting the contents.