Fire’s a necessity for modern day society. But it’s also incredibly dangerous. So, to help clue you up on some of its facts, stats and regulatory requirements, we’ve pulled together a list of 45 quick-fire (no pun intended!) things you need to know about.
Fire requires oxygen, an ignition point and fuel to light – which is why the latter two should be stored far apart!
The three most common types of fuel that lead to fire are coal, oil and wood
Flames come in different colours – white, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, violet and peach, and each colour symbolises a different type of fire
Flames from a candle alone typically burn at 1,000 degrees Celsius
There are four different types of fire extinguishers – water, C02, foam and dry chemical, and different businesses may require different forms
If you starve a fire of oxygen it‘ll go out by itself
Alternatively, removing or exhausting the fuel source that caused the fire will put it out too
Throwing water over most fires will put it out – but not if it’s an electrical or fat fire
A typical house fire doubles in size every minute
The more oxygen, the hotter the fire
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The hottest fire you’re likely to encounter is that of a welding torch, which burns at 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit
If a fire has a low supply of oxygen it will be yellow
High oxygen fires are blue
If cotton’s attached to super glue, it’ll catch on fire
Forest fires travel faster uphill than downhill
Spontaneous combustion is a real thing, and it happens because some fuel sources create their own heat by rotting
Most uncontrolled fires are caused by cigarettes or candles
Flames don’t cast shadows
Christmas is one of the worst times of the year for fires because of all the lights, candles and decorations that’re about
It’s compulsory to have a means of alarm on every floor of your business
Every building/business must have a suitable and up-to-date fire risk assessment in place
Fire alarms should be tested every week to make sure they sound as they should
As well as weekly checks, fire alarms should be maintained every six months
Every single employee must receive fire safety training
If you’re expecting visitors, they should be told about fire safety before entering your premises
Fire drills should be conducted at least every six months
You should have a special procedure in place for evacuating disabled visitors and employees (otherwise known as PEEPs)
Some, but not all, incidents involving fire are reportable under RIDDOR
You should regularly check the condition of your fire doors, because some last longer than others
Fire alarms don’t always have to make a sound – some might have a light beacon, or it might be a vibrating pillow, for example
Businesses that hold certain types and amounts of hazardous substances must complete a DSEAR assessment (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres) as well as a fire risk assessment
In most cases, it takes less than 30 seconds for a fire to become difficult to control
More people die from smoke inhalation than contact with the fire itself
Most residential fires start in the kitchen
In commercially operated buildings, arson’s the main driver behind fire deaths and injuries
On average, one quarter of all household fire fatalities happen because people are trapped while asleep
There are at least 20 irritant substances found in smoke, and the effects of these on people’s eyes, nose and throat can severely impair their ability to escape
Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances
In 2017 alone, the fire response service attended 563,527 fire incidents
There were almost a quarter of a million (223,383) false alarms in 2017
The number of fire-related fatalities has been on a downward trend since 1981-82
In 2017, there were 321 fire-related fatalities – 71 of which were from Grenfell
3,264 is the number of non-fatal fire casualties that required hospital treatment in 2017
The number of outdoor fires increased by 8% between 2016 and 2017
Conversely, building fires decreased by 3% between 2016 and 2017.
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