FIRE AND EXPLOSIONS By Vincent Dunn Explosion, kill and injure
firefighters. Firefighters work in a deadly-uncontrolled-work-
environment called the fire ground. Explosions collapse walls,
blow firefighters across streets, and cause hurricanes of flying
glass and shrapnel. Flame and heat accompany explosions burn
firefighters. Fire protection engineers define the term
explosion as an "effect" produced by a sudden violent expansion
of gases. Some "effects" of an explosion are loud noise and
shock waves, which can collapse walls and shatter windows.
Searing heat, black clouds of smoke and balls of flame are other
deadly effects produced by the sudden violent expansion blast
called an explosion. Fire protection engineers classify
explosions into three broad categories: physical explosion;
physical/chemical explosion; and chemical explosion. For
example, a water heater boiler rupture is a physical explosion.
The container ruptures, but there is no ensuing explosion of the
water. A propane cylinder BLEVE (boiling l