CDI 6 – FIRE PROTECTION AND ARSON INVESTIGATION

MODULE 9: FLAMMABLE MATERIALS Page 1 of 6

LESSON PROPER

CHARACTERISTICS OF FLAMMABLE MATERIALS

The differences between materials that will burn are very important. Simply knowing that a material
will burn helps you very little. "Wood will burn" is a general statement; the kind of wood-hard or soft- thick or
thin will you to know when and how fast it will burn. This L still doesn't give you enough information on
flammable material.
The specific differences in the properties are known as characteristics, and all flammable materials
have characteristics peculiar to themselves. All matter, including flammable materials will exist in at least
one of three states.
These states-or groups are known as:
1. Liquids
2. Gases
3. Solids

As firefighters, you should know the contents of a container to determine the pressure buildup
when the container is near a fire. Too high a pressure is liable to burst the tank or otherwise endanger life
or lives.

Liquids Defined

Liquids are fluids that do not generate more than 40 psia when heated to 100 degrees F (psia is
pound- per-square inch absolute).
To determine whether a fluid should be classed as a gas or a liquid, it is tested.
Types of Liquids
A. Flammable Liquids - these are liquids with a flashpoint below 100 degrees F and a vapor
pressure not over 40 psia at 100°F. They called Class II liquids, which are subdivided into the
following Classes:
 Class IA any liquid that has a flashpoint below 73F, and a boiling point (BP) below 100°F.
 Class IB any liquid that has a flashpoint below 73 F, and a boiling point at or above 1000F.
 Class IC any liquid that has a flashpoint below 100°F, but not below 730F.
B. Combustible Liquids - liquids that have a flashpoint pro at or above 100°F. They are subdivided
into the following categories:
 Class II - any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 100°F and below 1400F.
 Class IllA - any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 140°F and below 200°F.
 Class IIIB - any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 200OF.

Types of Flammable Liquids:

1. Hydrocarbons
a. Alkanes
b. Alkenes
c. Alkynes
d. Aromatics
2. Halogenated Carbon
CDI 6 – FIRE PROTECTION AND ARSON INVESTIGATION
MODULE 9: FLAMMABLE MATERIALS Page 2 of 6
a. Alcohol
b. Aldehydes
c. Amines
d. Ethers
e. Ketones
f. Esters
Hazards of Flammable Liquids:
1. Produce Vapours that:
 burn
 corrosive
 oxidizers
 toxic
 narcotic
 unstable
2. Slop over – Water trapped at bottom of storage tanks vaporizes from heat expanding and expelling
Contents above it.
Gases
Gases are classified by their chemical, physical properties, and usage.
A. Chemical Properties – chemical properties of gases are of prime interest to firefighters, as they
reflect the ability of the gas to react within it or with other materials.
The chemical properties of gases may be broken down as follows:
1. Flammable gases any gas that which burn in normal concentrations of oxygen in the air. These Gases
are subjected to the same conditions as flammable vapors.
2. Non-flammable gases any gases that will not burn in air. Some of these will support combustion And are
called oxidizers. Those that do not support combustion are called inert gases.
3. Reactive gases any gases that will react within itself or with other materials under conditions Other than
fire, i.e. shock, heat, and etc.
4. Toxic gases-any gases that may complicate firefighting efforts due to its serious life hazards.

B. Physical Properties – is the physical behavior of a gas both outside and inside its container and
when Accidentally released, these are of prime interest to firefighters.
The Physical Classification are the following:
1. Compressed gases matter which is solely in a gaseous state in its container with a lower pressure
Limit of 25 psig (pounds per square inch gauge) at normal temperature of 70 F to 100°F.
2. Liquefied gases matter which exist partly as a gas and partly as a liquid at normal temperatures
Inside the container and remain under pressure as long as any liquid is in the container.
3. Cryogenic gases – gas which remains as liquefied gas in its container at temperature far below
Normal temperature.

C. Usage – Classification of gases is made by their usages. However, there will be much overlapping
in these usages.
1. Fuel gases which burn with air to produce heat, power, or light.
2. Industrial gases used in industrial processes such as: water treatment, welding and
cutting, Refrigeration, and etc.
3. Medical gases used for medical purposes such as therapy and anesthesia.

Flammable Compressed Gas

CDI 6 – FIRE PROTECTION AND ARSON INVESTIGATION
MODULE 9: FLAMMABLE MATERIALS Page 3 of 6
1. Natural Gas: it is the most common flammable gas.
2. Methane – lighter than the air and not toxic.
3. Propane and Butane colorless, tasteless, odorless, and not toxic heavier than air.
4. Acetylene me
 colorless, tasteless, odorless – shock sensitive
 Burns ethylene 42170F
5. Hydrogen
 difficult to keep in container
 lighter than air – extremely flammable
6. Ethylene Oxide
 gas at room temperature extremely wide explosive range
 to 100%%
7. Oxidizer – can burn inside its own container

Non-Flammable Gas:
1. Oxygen
 most common does not burn
 supports combustion
2. Ammonia
 non-flammable
 But does burn flammable range is less than 10% water
 •soluble
3. Refrigerants – may be toxic when heated
4. Halogens: Fluorine – most powerful oxidizer, extremely toxic, extremely reactive, water reactive
Chlorine Toxic, corrosive, irritating
5. Acid Gases
 Turn to acids when dissolved in water
 toxic, corrosive, irritating 6.
6. Inert Gases:
a. Helium
b. Nitrogen
c. Argon
d. Carbon dioxide
e. Krypton
f. Neon
g. Other Gases

Solids
Combustible solids are those which ignite burn and change chemically when subjected to heat or
Fire. The heat must be approximately 3500F or higher. Above this temperature, ordinary materials will give
Off enough vapors or gases to burn. Examples are wood, paper, and cloth.
There are other combustible solids which may ignite or detonate at lower temperatures. These
Combustible solids are classed as hazardous chemicals and should be kept in suitable containers. They
Should be separated from each other materials which react with them.
CDI 6 – FIRE PROTECTION AND ARSON INVESTIGATION
MODULE 9: FLAMMABLE MATERIALS Page 4 of 6
Combustible Metals – most of combustible metals are chemical elements which are part of earth’s
Composition. Very few if any, are found in the natural state, as in gold. The pure metal is extracted from
Mineral ore deposits by chemical processes. Some of the combustible metals are the following:
1. Sodium
2. Magnesium
3. Titanium
4. Potassium
5. Uranium
6. Lithium
7. Zirconium
8. Sodium-potassium alloys
Combustible Solids
1. Wood
2. Carbon a)
 Coal& charcoal
 Carbon monoxide
 carbon dioxide
 carbon monoxide is flammable
 burns very hot
3. Phosphorous
 Pyrophoric - reacts violently when it contacts air
 Bombs, pyrotechnic devices
4. Sulfur
 non-toxic in elemental form
 sulfur dioxide formed when burn, toxic
5. Metals
6. Cellulose Nitrate
 common, flammable, toxic
 clear plastic materials
 Oxidizing agent
7. Ammonium Nitrate - explosive, oxidizing agent fertilizer, explosive when contaminated with fuel
8. Other Nitrates
 must be considered flammable and/or explosive
 liberates toxic nitrogen oxides
9. Solids with Flashpoints
 Naphthalene – does not burn, gives off flammable vapors at 1740F.

EFFECTS OF FIRE ON VARIOUS MATERIALS

1. Wood – Wood burns with an open flame and it chars depending upon its type, condition, and
Thickness. Laminated wood girders, etc., will burn more readily than solid timbers of the same
Dimensions. Wood than shingles will burn readily, and under certain conditions will curl and fly off a
Roof or wall, spreading fire in all directions. Ordinary plywood under fire conditions has a tendency
to “unpeel,” exposing fresh surfaces to a fire; generally, plywood will burn through more quickly
than a Solid board of the same thickness. The exterior and marine grades of plywood use binder
resins Which have some fire resistance and will not burn as rapidly as the ordinary grades.
2. Steel – In its usual form is non-combustible, however, steel wool and filings can be ignited under
CDI 6 – FIRE PROTECTION AND ARSON INVESTIGATION
MODULE 9: FLAMMABLE MATERIALS Page 5 of 6
Certain conditions. In a burning building, structural steel may heat rapidly, lose its strength, and
Deform. Corrugated steel sheeting, usually galvanized or coated with asphalt compounds is
Extensively used for siding and roofing. Some of the asphalt coated materials will ignite, and the
Burning asphalt has a tendency to melt, rapidly spreading the fire. All sheet-metal panels, siding,
Roofs, and partitions tend to deform under fire conditions.
3. Masonry – In general, brick, stone, and concrete prolong exposure to heat, may crack or spall
(crumbled). Of are considered fire resistant. Under conditions of If suddenly cooled by the water
from A hose stream, the surface of a heated masonry wall may crack or spall with a near-explosive
force And destructive effects on the wall.
4. Miscellaneous Construction Materials -In In addition to the three most common building
materials, There are number of other materials that are used in all type of buildings. These types of
materials Are normally used for interior finishes, roofing, or decorative purposes.
 Plastic sheeting – A translucent, corrugated, plastic-impregnated fiberglass panels used
for natural illumination of structures. Used for combustibility varies according to the type
of their type of plastic used as a binder. Most types are slightly less combustible than
wood, but still burn readily.
 Glass – While glass is non-combustible, its normal brittleness is increased by sudden
Cooling. This causes it to crack and shatter. Under conditions of elevated fire
temperatures, Glass, whether in the form of window panes or blocks may melt and run.
 Asphalt -asbestos siding, roofing, and shingles. All these are combustible to a degree,
Depending on the relative amounts of asphalt and inert material compounds in their
makeup.
 Clay tile – These are used for floor covering, partitions, flues, etc., tile can be generally
Classed with masonry as non-combustible. Under fire conditions, its behavior is similar to
Masonry, depending upon its thickness, density, and surface texture.
 Fiberboard – Fiberboards of vegetable or animal materials are generally combustible,
while Those of mineral origin are not. Unless specially treated to retard flame spread, they
Decompose readily under heat and emit flammable gases with a correspondingly high rate
Of flame propagation. Certain compressed, hard surfaced boards composed of wood fiber
With phenolic binder materials can be considered slow-burning. The s0-called “marine” or
“tempered” hardboards are in this slow-burning category.
 Gypsum board – Widely used as an interior finish for partitions, walls, and ceilings, it is
Regarded as non-combustible. Under fire conditions (especially if it cools suddenly) it may
Crack and splinter or chip. When it is installed over wood studs in an approved manner,
Gypsum board protects one face of the combustible material.
 Plastics and synthetic resins – To date more types and forms of plastics and synthetic
Resins are commonly used as building materials, and for related purposes. Their behavior
Under fire conditions varies widely, according to their chemical composition, ranging from
Essentially non-combustible through slow burning; to highly flammable No general rule of
Fire behavior can be established for these materials. Also, toxicity of their burning waste
Products varies with their chemical composition.

 Examples of these materials (arranged in increasing order of flammability):

o Bakelite-type (phenolic) materials

o Poly-vinyl plastics
o Celluloid-type materials
 Acoustical and insulation materials – In general, acoustical and insulation materials Composed
of animal or vegetable materials are combustible, while those of mineral origin Are not. Under fire
conditions, even those normally regarded as noncombustible may be Disintegrated or severely
damaged by relatively little heat. However, some acoustical tiles, When used with approved
assemblies, will provide 1, 2, and 4 hour protection against the Passage of flame.

FIRE RETARDANT TREATMENT:

CDI 6 – FIRE PROTECTION AND ARSON INVESTIGATION
MODULE 9: FLAMMABLE MATERIALS Page 6 of 6

Two General Types of Fire-Retardant:

1. Surface Coating – is usually used in combination with a paint, decompose at the point of contact
of a flame or other heat source to form a blister filled with an infinite number of tiny bubbles. These
Bubbles insulate the point against further effects of heat until additional flame contact decomposes
And disintegrates the blister.
2. Impregnation – It is usually done at a processing chemicals, under pressure, into the pores of the
Materials to be protected. Both treatments vary on its effectiveness, depending on the material to be
treated, the Chemicals used, and the efficiency of the coating or impregnation. Neither is can
considered to be The equal of non-combustible construction. Some solids, such as metals, like der
magnesium and Titanium are often used as construction material.