Recently in Canada we have had tragedy strike in several provinces. Listening to the news today hearing about a family holding funerals for 4 children, just breaks my heart. They all died in a house fire. But what really bothers me is that the home was a relatively newer home. So I had to think about this question. Why have government regulations not addressed building codes that prevent a rapid burn that typical do take place in newer homes built today.
I think first we have to look at what is fueling the fire. Typically, 30 years ago, when a wool or cotton sofa caught fire you would not see the wool/cotton sofa dripping like water, but today "what you now see is the synthetic material dripping. It's the oils; that's what all of the studies are finding leads to rapid fire spread and rapid pyrolysis and rapid combustion." according to Paul Acton a Fire Investigation Professional.
Another leading factor in the rapid burn of homes today are the TRUSSES, use to build the frame of the homes. 50 Years ago the trusses were built with solid thick wood that was not treated with an array of chemicals. 30 years ago, residents had approximately eight minutes to escape their homes from the second that their smoke detector went off, in contrast to today, a resident has less than two minutes.
A test by Underwriter Laboratories, a company that is a not-for-profit that conducts product safety testing. They have discovered that an average-sized room, that is furnished with products manufactured today was fully engulfed in flames with three minutes. Now look at this same room, with furniture manufactured 50 years ago , it took only 30 minutes to be fully engulfed.
Today's homes are filled with a number of modern plastics, such as glues and hydro-carbon-based items, that contribute to the cause of a faster "fire growth rate. I think that Governments across the globe need to pay attention to these studies and address them appropriately. Regulations and laws about how how manufactures produce items and the chemicals used in the process.
Today's post is just an eye opener and a subject matter that I wanted to bring to light, in the hopes that perhaps someone see's it and does have some power to affect the change we need to see as a society to further protect ourselves all across the globe.
Image source:
http://www.bosquecounty.us/firesafety/