Why does fire smoke?

Have you ever considered why fire gives off smoke? It may seem like they should go together naturally, but there’s a whole process that causes a flame to create smoke. In which case, a fire can become extremely dangerous. Not just for the obvious dangers of a flame burning objects, but inhaling the smoke that comes from a fire can cause life-threatening complications.

So where does the smoke come from?

Smoke can be identified by large amounts of tiny solid, gas or liquid particles, coming together. The visible smoke that can be seen is mainly caused by tar, ash, carbon or oils. This visible effect is caused when there is insufficient oxygen to burn the fuel of the fire, causing unburned particles which come together to form what we call smoke.

In some instances, the fuel of the fire is burnt up completely, leaving only carbon dioxide and water – which is then when smoke is not present.

Why the installation of fire protection components is so important:

Regardless of the size or type of building, a fire can erupt easily, when you least expect it. During this eruption, the chance of smoke being present becomes a real life-threatening problem. Apart from the fact that the building and all of its contents will burn to the ground, being trapped in a building producing smoke can result in smoke inhalation – which is the primary cause of death for individuals trapped inside of a building. Approximately 75% of those individuals die due to smoke inhalation, instead of the flames themselves.

By installing and properly maintaining fire protection components such as fire sprinklers, and keeping fire extinguishers up-to-date, you can kill the flames within seconds – preserving your premises as well as valuable lives.

For more information: Have a look at Fireco’s Installation of Fire Protection Components, as well as Maintenance of Fire Prevention Components.

Sources: http//sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Fire/Science-Ideas-and-Concepts/What-is-smoke

http//science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/question43.htm