Accessories test: Compact fire extinguishers - The quick help when there's a fire
Many emergency situations that can occur on board can be dealt with using on-board resources; time is usually not a decisive factor. Only in the case of water ingress, a person in cold water and especially fires, every second counts. If it is not possible to pump water out of the boat due to a large leak, the only thing that can help, just as in the case of a fire that has got out of control, is to abandon the boat. The last time such an event occurred was in Greece. In addition a German Navy launch caught fire off Warnmünde and the Motor yacht "Atina" was in flames off the Sardinian coast and finally sank.
So there is a lot at stake when fighting a fire; the boat is quickly lost to fire and the crew is also in great danger. The only rescue at sea is then a dinghy or life raft. Fire is already a serious danger on land, but it is even greater at sea.
The four most common sources of fire on board are, in ascending order, candles, electrics, the engine in combination with fuel and, in first place, the galley.
The greatest fire hazard comes from the cooker. Grease fires can be particularly treacherous and devastating
This particular class of fire is so dangerous because it develops quickly if a pan of oil is left on the hob for a long time, the fat continues to flare up even if splashed or spilt, the fire spreads very quickly and can ignite greasy cupboard surfaces in the immediate vicinity, for example. However, the dreaded grease explosion poses a particular danger. It occurs when water is poured into the burning fat - because the liquid evaporates suddenly and spreads the burning fat along with the vapour. Water is therefore ruled out as an extinguishing agent; it is even forbidden to use it because it accelerates the fire.
Nevertheless, there is also good news about grease fires: they are still quite small and controllable when they start. In the early stages, the flames barely flicker over the edge of the pan - no need to panic. Nevertheless, the situation is very serious. The hob should be switched off as quickly as possible. This is sufficient in the early stages of a fat fire; without heat, the flames will go out. However, there is no time to lose, because after just 30 seconds to a minute, the flames can rise so high that, firstly, the hob can no longer be reached safely and, secondly, the fire will supply itself with sufficient heat and will not extinguish on its own before the fat has completely burnt off. However, as cupboards, curtains and ceiling panelling can catch fire, it is not advisable to simply wait.
In this phase, experts speak of an incipient fire. If action is taken quickly, it is easy to extinguish, even for non-professionals. Even if it is no longer possible to turn off the hob, handy fire extinguishers can still bring the situation under control.
The compact fire extinguishing sprays are suitable here. Many are also explicitly recommended for grease fires. One advantage of the sprays is their small size: They can be stored directly in the pantry and are quickly to hand. They also work intuitively - like a can of hairspray or deodorant - so the inhibition threshold for using them is low. Another plus: the extinguishing agents do not cause a great deal of soiling and destruction like powder extinguishers. They can therefore be used without hesitation. These are weighty arguments in favour of the handy cans and an advantage over large powder or foam extinguishers.
More on the subject of fire:
None of the cans are officially certified as fire extinguishers. This requires approval in accordance with DIN EN3
The extinguishing sprays are offered by many manufacturers. The test included products from equipment suppliers, DIY stores and various online shops for camping and outdoor equipment, from ADAC and Kaufland.
Many use AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) with nitrogen as the extinguishing agent. The Xtin from Maus is an exception; when it is triggered, combustion is started, the flue gas of which forms the aerosol that is supposed to extinguish the fire, but this did not work with the grease fire in the test.
For five products, it is not clear which extinguishing agent is used. Only with GEM Fire and Priomaxx this is noted on the can. With the Extinguishing spray from Smartwares and the Firestop from UniTec The water content is listed in the table below, which is dangerously high for extinguishing grease fires. None of the cans are officially certified as fire extinguishers. This requires approval in accordance with DIN EN3.
According to the label on the can, the GEM-Fire fire extinguisher spray has been tested in accordance with this standard. This fact alone makes it clear that the sprays cannot replace the real fire extinguishers on board. However, the test has shown that at least two products can be a very good supplement to the authorised fire-fighting equipment.
The instructors from Sailpartner, who have expertise in safety training for water sports enthusiasts, had set up a gas cooker for yachts as a test setup. A pot of frying fat was heated on it until the flames shot up. To ensure safety, the test took place at the RelyOn Nutec training centre in Bremerhaven. The experienced fire-fighting experts had prepared a long gas supply line with a special switch. This only let gas through when it was activated. This ensured that the fuel supply was automatically interrupted as soon as we had to withdraw quickly and let go of the switch. We also had the opportunity to test various other extinguishing agents, such as foam, powder and CO₂, to better assess the extinguishing performance of the sprays.
Think briefly, even if it has to be done quickly:
It was impressive to see what happens when water is poured into a grease fire. The extremely dangerous grease explosion can only be safely tested under the secured conditions of a training area and shows what can happen in the worst case scenario if the wrong extinguishing agent is chosen. Two of the ten extinguishing sprays extinguished the flames well. The Fire stop from Abus and the Stop Fire from ReinoldMax The flames were smothered after three to four seconds. They were only slightly whipped up and there were only small jet flames.
Also with almost all other products, except the Xtin from mouse, the fire went out. However, there were some dangerously high jet flames, such as on the Priomaxx product, where the flames briefly shot up to over 2.5 metres. In the galley with its limited ceiling height, a roller of fire would shoot through the entire boat. This suggests that the proportion of water in the extinguishing agents is simply too high.
The obvious danger here is burns to the arms and face. In the worst case, the flame can enter the respiratory tract, for example if the person inhales in shock when trying to extinguish the fire. The wound fluid that escapes from the burnt mucous membranes then collects in the lungs and those affected can suffocate hours later.
Another problem is the long extinguishing time. UniTec's Firestop, for example, took 23 seconds to extinguish the fire. In the meantime, the flames were leaping up and for several agonisingly long seconds it did not appear that the fire would go out at all. In the safe environment of a test site, firefighting may be successful. In an emergency on board, however, skippers would be more likely to give up and abandon ship if the flames were leaping towards them at such a height.
The small powder extinguisher smothered the fire in no time, but left behind a cloud of dust
The Prymos product extinguished the fire, albeit with quite high jet flames. As it is not intended by the manufacturer to fight grease fires, we have refrained from rating it. The Xtin from mouse was a beacon of hope before the test. The very compact extinguisher utilises innovative technology and fights the fire with a special aerosol that looks like a cloud of smoke instead of foam or gel. As a result, the process should be completely non-destructive and without extinguishing agent residue. The promise sounds good. Fire classes A, B, C and F are labelled on the extinguisher. There is even a pictogram with a stylised pan with flames to indicate that the Xtin can be used to extinguish grease fires.
Unfortunately, nothing happened in the test: after triggering, the cylinder emitted a cloud of smoke for 22 seconds with a loud hiss. The jet whipped up the flames in the pan a little, but did not smother them. This is not only annoying, but really dangerous for an extinguishing agent, as users are relying on it to save them. What's more, the Maus product is the most expensive in the test. The comparison with other extinguishing agents is particularly interesting. We fought the fire with the same amount of fat using a powder extinguisher with one kilogram of extinguishing agent, which is comparable in size to the sprays, as well as a foam extinguisher and a CO₂ extinguisher. The small powder extinguisher smothered the flames in no time, but left behind a cloud of dust.
The powder clouds the field of vision, makes it difficult to breathe and accelerates corrosion on metals
The foam extinguisher has a clear advantage here, as the agent does not spread as much and visibility is not restricted. The result of the CO₂ extinguisher was disappointing. Although it smothered the flames for a short time, they flared up again and again, and the extinguisher was quickly empty, but the fire was not yet extinguished. In addition, there were two short pauses during the extinguishing attempt because the ice-cold carbon dioxide mist also got behind the spout on the hand, forcing you to take a break.
The powder extinguisher covers the fire most quickly, forming a layer over the grease that prevents re-ignition. But the powder also mists the field of vision, makes it difficult to breathe, destroys electronics and accelerates corrosion on metals. It also creeps into every crevice and is very difficult to remove. The CO₂ extinguisher is not recommended against grease fires, it is not so easy to use and the carbon dioxide on board can also be dangerous: It is heavier than the ambient air, collects in the hull and displaces the oxygen, thus robbing you of breathable air.
Test results:
A special foam extinguisher that can also fight grease fires is therefore recommended. It extinguishes reliably, does not obstruct the view of the fire and does not leave a huge mess behind. Nevertheless, it is advisable to also carry a powder extinguisher on board as a back-up, for example for larger fires on the engine. The widely used fire blankets are no longer recommended by experts; on the contrary, they are even discouraged. Although they have the potential to cover a fire, this does not mean that the fire is extinguished. As soon as you look under the blanket with curiosity, the flames will flare up again. In the ensuing panic, the blanket is more likely to be torn away from the fire and spread the burning fat even further.
The Fire extinguishing sprays from Abus and ReinoldmMax However, they are helpful and cannot replace the large fire extinguishers, but are still recommended as a good addition. It is important to note that they are only really suitable for small, so-called incipient fires. This is when they can show their advantages of quick, uncomplicated use and non-destructive extinguishing results. If the flame gets a little bigger in the first second, the crew must not hesitate. If the finger comes off the spray button in fright, the fire will get bigger again. As the flames are travelling upwards, it is advisable to approach the fire in a crouched position, even if it is not yet that big. A jet of flame will then sweep along the ceiling above the source of the fire and is more likely to miss your face. Nevertheless, your own safety and that of the crew must always be the top priority. If in doubt, this means retreating and getting everyone to safety, even if the boat has to be abandoned to the flames.
Assessing this point correctly is certainly the most difficult part of firefighting, especially as the decision must not take too long. Once the fire has been discovered, it is therefore important to remain calm and briefly assess the situation. The diagram (below) can be helpful. If there is more than one person on board, it makes sense to allocate tasks. Ideally, the procedure should have been discussed before the trip. Then the emergency call does not have to be made when the attempts to extinguish the fire have failed. However, if you are travelling alone, the recommendation cannot be to reach for the radio before the fire extinguisher. Important seconds would be lost. For small fires, start with the extinguishing spray, but do not be discouraged if the fire cannot be completely extinguished.
As long as the flames are controlled and do not make access to the source of the fire dangerous, you can continue with the larger extinguisher. Finally, the powder extinguisher is recommended. Even if flames are no longer visible, the fire may flare up again. So do not stop extinguishing immediately. And then continue to be vigilant and observe the area. If embers are already visible, extinguish them completely. As a preventive measure, clean the pantry, as the greasy film from cooking accelerates the spread of flames on cupboards and panelling.
