Deadly Furniture Fires

Early in June a mother and her three children died in a dwelling fire in Gironde, France, when according to firefighters synthetic furniture caught fire.


The deaths of nine firefighters in Charleston USA this week, reminds us that what presents a hazard to the occupants of a dwelling when it catches fire, also when displayed or stored in quantity in a store or warehouse, presents a similar and deadly hazard to professional firefighters.


I say ‘reminds us’ because we have been here before and there is a long line of human tragedy, both civilians and firefighters, stretching over the years where fires associated with synthetic filling materials, particularly foam, has been identified as the major contributory factor in the rapid fire spread.


These fires have occurred in the factories using the materials and the shops, stores and homes containing the finished product.


In the UK controls have been introduced at each and every level and have successfully reduced the risk and hazards.


In the USA there will be some soul searching over the firefighters deaths, as there should be, and it is inappropriate to comment other than to offer deepest sympathies to the berieved families, friends and colleagues.


It is time that all involved in supplying upholstered furniture recognised and accepted that what is without doubt a life enriching product, can also in foreseeable circumstances take lives.
There will have been dwelling fires in recent days where people will have died due to the inhalation of toxic fumes from burning upholstery. They will not feature in the news like the Charleston fire, but will in all probability exceed the numbers involved.


The technology to reduce the risks, hazards and consequences of furniture fires is well known and applied by law in the UK and Ireland and some States of America. If the industries are unwilling to change, then the regulator should act.



For more information, see:
http://www.acfse.org/index.php5?module=articles&section=3