Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

A possible way of fighting fires is to fill the whole space in which the fire is burning with a suitable inert gas or foam. This method has potential application in certain particular fires where either (a) conventional methods cannot be easily applied e.g. deap seated fires in holds of ships (b) it is desirable to obtain control of the fire more quickly or with less water damage than is obtained by conventional means e.g. large fires in buildings. There have been a number of developments in recent years aimed at providing inert gas and foam for these purposes, of the requisite properties and at the requisite flow rates. Some of these developments were discussed at a symposium organized by the Joint Fire Research Organization at the Fire Research Station on September 26th and 27th 1963. The symposium was attended by 73 representatives from interested bodies including the Fire Brigades, Government Departments and Industry. In addition to the presentation of a number of papers at this symposium, there were discussions and demonstrations with the Joint Fire Research Organizations experimental jet engine appliance. An account of the proceedings of this symposium is given in this note which has been subdivided as follows. Part I Summary of papers read. Part II Account of experimental demonstrations. Part III Summary of the points raised in discussion. Appendix I Programme of the symposium. Appendix II List of participants. Appendix III Photographs taken during the symposium.