Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

A review has been made of the fire hazards associated with the carriage and storage of baled cotton, with special reference to the possibility of spontaneous heating and ignition in wet bales. It has been concluded that spontaneous ignition is unlikely to occur in wet cotton bales. A clear distinction should be made between wet bales that have been salvaged fran a fire and those that have not. The former must be regarded as highly dangerous in view of the possibility that internal smouldering may escape detection and cause a fresh outbreak of fire after a period of weeks. Salvaged bales that have been carefully "picked" are likely to be free from risk of rekindling.