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Home » Consumer Information » Occupational Safety » Firefighters

Chemical Fires

Combustible chemicals, such as gasoline or agricultural chemicals, can cause enormous explosions and raging fires. These kinds of fires are particularly hazardous because aside from the usual perils of large fires, they have the added risk of poisoning, and if proper fire fighting procedure is not followed, water or chemicals used to fight the fire could contaminate a substantial area.

It is of the utmost importance that firemen receive special training in chemical fire fighting, as they are different in nature from other fires. Every year, local fire department should visit every large chemical storage warehouse and take note of the facility's general layout, the location of hydrants, alternate access roads and gates, surrounding building occupancy and land use, and ventilation and drainage. A file should be opened on each facility with important/emergency telephone numbers (facility operators, poison control, etc.) and a list of hazards a firefighter might face at that particular facility. A reference manual of the symptoms of poisoning and what to do in case of contact with chemicals should also be established, and chemical storage procedures should be provided to facility owners or managers.

Work does not end for firefighters once a chemical fire has been extinguished. A significant clean-up effort follows. Securing the fire site requires that firefighters do the following:

  • Isolate the scene.
  • Contact public health department for disposal instructions and approval.
  • Handle waste and run-off.
  • Notify physician and hospitals to prepare for the possibility of poison victims.
  • Evacuate, isolate and patrol the downwind area.
  • Avoid working in areas downwind of the fire.
  • Fight the fire from a safe distance.
  • Prevent the spread of the fire by cooling nearby containers to prevent rupture.
  • Avoid raising flammable, explosive or toxic dust.
  • Avoid using large quantities of water to keep toxic run-off to a minimum.
  • Construct dikes to prevent flow into lakes, streams, sewers, etc.
  • Use soft streams so as not to tear open paper containers or break jars.

Firefighters should protect their personal safety by doing the following:

  • Remove protective clothing upon leaving the site.
  • All equipment and gear used at the fire site should be impounded for decontamination.
  • Shower and wash hair to remove traces of toxic chemicals.
  • Wash inner clothing.
  • Watch for signs of poisoning.
  • Wash all clothing and respirators in an isolated area, while wearing coveralls and rubber gloves and using respiratory protection.