Flammable Liquids

Published on: August 21, 2012

Flammable Liquids

Flammable and combustible liquids are liquids that can burn. These liquids give off vapors that mix with air and can catch on fire from a source of ignition causing serious burns. The vapor is actually what burns, not the liquid. The lowest temperature at which the liquid gives off enough vapor to be ignited is called the flashpoint.

Flammable and combustible liquids include gasoline, kerosene, paint and paint thinners, solvents, cleaners, polishes and others. There are certain rules to be followed to avoid serious burns from flammable liquids which include:

Read the manufacturer’s label on the flammable liquid container before its use.

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Published on: January 31, 2012

Three People Suffer Smoke Inhalation but Are Saved from Fire; Stored Gasoline to Blame

By Larry Kramer

Near Chicago last month, three people–one of them a baby–were rescued from a basement fire. It is almost a miracle they survived after suffering smoke inhalation and falling unconscious before they could escape on their own.

The suburban Des Plaines Fire Department responded to a call about people trapped in a burning residence about 6:45 p.m. Firefighters were dispatched and arrived at the scene in about four minutes. They saw that most the flames and smoke were coming from the basement, so they moved into that area first and found three victims.

Two victims, a woman and a male baby, were unconscious. Firefighters removed them from the building and were able to resuscitate them before transferring them to an ambulance. The third victim, a woman, suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation.

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Published on: October 31, 2011

With Winter Approaching, Be Careful with Firewood and Other Heating Fuels to Avoid Severe Burns

By Larry Kramer

It seems that winter has come early to the Northeast, and surely there are many people in that region who have already started using firewood and other sources of fuel to heat their homes.

However, it is very important to think and take precautions before using a fireplace or other heating unit, because it is very easy to have an accident that causes a small fire to grow out of control, and possibly cause severe burns or swift, deadly smoke inhalation because the fire is in an enclosed space–a den or some other room.

Here is just one recent example of a person being careless and causing a life-threatening situation: In mid-September in Brooklyn Park, Maryland, fire investigators determined that a man who was burned a few days before in the basement of his Brooklyn Park home had poured gasoline on wet wood inside his fireplace.

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