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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Community Fire Safety => Topic started by: Guest on June 28, 2004, 01:18:16 PM

Title: Fire involving video tapes
Post by: Guest on June 28, 2004, 01:18:16 PM

Does anyone have any knowledge of any research that may have been carried out regarding fires involving video cassettes?

Title: Fire involving video tapes
Post by: colin todd on June 29, 2004, 02:15:32 AM

I have done tests with audio. As for video, kent had a very serious house fire a few years back caused by masses of video tapes

Title: Fire involving video tapes
Post by: wee brian on June 29, 2004, 10:16:39 PM

Its been done a couple of times at BRE, nothing published though. They certainly do burn and large collections in domestic premises can be a significant fire load.

On the flipside I've seen  people treat them like gunpowder kegs!! they are just plastic boxes the same as TV sets, computers etc.

Title: Fire involving video tapes
Post by: Guest on July 14, 2004, 07:30:18 AM

Hi

Whilst at Wales Fire earlier this year, I noticed one of the Welsh Brigades had recorded (by video!) the effects of cassettes burning and was for all to see on their stand.

Perhaps they may have some information for you.

Title: Fire involving video tapes
Post by: Mark on July 14, 2004, 07:35:30 AM

Oh Thats handy....I can go in as a guest!!....Now who is in my bad books????

Title: Fire involving video tapes
Post by: p.b.morgan on September 30, 2004, 08:37:27 PM

Hi Barry, Sorry to have missed this one. There is a reference in Fire June 1994 'Video tapes fed fatal fire'  FRS/BRE did some calorimetry for Kent Fire Brigade following a fatal fire in February of that year. Briefly, you get abot 1MW from 20-25 video cassettes, depending on whether they are in cardboard or library covers. roughly equivalent to a standard foam filled armchair (ie not FR treated).  The videos were on shelves the same depth as the cassettes.  In the fatal fire, clothes were ignited on a fire guard and the flames from this source are believed to have ignited the first of 300 cassettes stored on shelving in the sitting-room.  They need a sustained heat source to get going but do not produce a pool fire as you might expect - the body of a cassette was polypropylene at that time - suspect it may not have changed very much. (ABS was used for professional use). If cassettes are stored in drawers or cupboards they will be difficult to involve in a fire.