carbon dioxide incidents 2010 nl 1

8/13/2019 Carbon Dioxide Incidents 2010 Nl 1

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Langenberg 04/2009 1

Carbon Dioxide

CO2 incidents

according to fire extinguishing systems

in Aug 2008

Dr. Jrgen Langenberg

CTIF-Hazardous Materials Committee

Commanding officer / Head of Department Fire Prevention at Mnster Fire Brigade


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Carbon Dioxide: Physics

Heavier than air (density of 1.5 times of fresh air)

Settles to the bottom with highest concentrations

at the lowest areas (without circulation)

Commonly stored in bottles under pressure

(liquefied at 20 C / 57 bar or at < -53 C / 20 bar)

Oxygen displacing and toxic gas

Used e.g. in automatically fire extinguishing systems


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Carbon Dioxide: Physiological Effects

Serious oxygen deprivation, convulsions

Absence, unconcsiousness, coma

resulting in permanent brain damage,

death

> 40,000 ppm

(> 4 % in volume)

Workplace exposure limit (as 8-hour TWA) in mostjurisdictions

5,000 ppm

Headaches, sleepiness, and stagnant, stuffy air.

Poor concentration, loss of attention.

Increased heart and breathing rate

2,000 to 5,000 ppm

Complaints of poor air1,000 to 2,000 ppm

Concentrations typical of occupied indoor spaces

with good air exchange

350 to 1,000 ppm

Normal background concentration in outdoor

ambient air

250 to 350 ppm

SymptomsConcentration


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death

> 40,000 ppm

(> 4 % in volume)


5,000 ppm




2,000 to 5,000 ppm




350 to 1,000 ppm


ambient air

250 to 350 ppm



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death

> 40,000 ppm

(> 4 % in volume)


5,000 ppm




2,000 to 5,000 ppm




350 to 1,000 ppm


ambient air

250 to 350 ppm



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Carbon Dioxide Incident in Wuppertal, 21 Aug 2008

PPG Industries Coating Company

Wuppertal, Germany

Building 35: Coatings storage depot,

20 t CO2 in fire extinguishing system.

Depot within a residental area.


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Operation Minutes8.32 h Automatic fire detection system ->

Alarm for 2 first attendances and HazMat vehicles

8.37 h Arrival 1st fire engine.

First investigation: Release of 15 t CO2 from extinguishing system

-> Closing all doors (This did NOT work automatically at all doors)

-> Turning off the main CO2 valve

-> Investigating the inner building: NO fire

-> Measuring: First results show 1.5 to > 6 % CO2 at the doors,

in the environment < 0,5 %

-> Later information: Cause was a control system repair.


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PPG Industries Coating Company

Wuppertal, Germany

Building 35: Coatings storage depot

20 t CO2 in fire extinguishing system

Depot in centre of a residental area

Slope


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Further Tasks

1) Closing of roads and a railway station (due to slope).

Warning of adjacent residents: Keep your windows closed.

2) Controlled CO2 removal from inside the depot:

- opening of suitable doors,

- 6 pressure ventilators lower CO2 by mixing it with fresh air

- continuous CO2-screening around the depot


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what the fire fighters on scene did not know

(but saw on TV later on):

Resident video shows the release phase with great amounts

of CO2 flowing over the yard, towards resident houses


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A plastic curtain prevented closing of a gate.Employees closed it before fire service arrived,

but after CO2-release through the gate...


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This pictures led to further tasks in a very late phase

- Further measurements in resident buildings, cellers

- Control of all adjoining buildings for casualties.

-> No indication of enlarged CO2-concentration

or affected persons!!

Good luck: No injured person on scene !


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Carbon Dioxide Incident

in Mnchengladbach, 16 Aug 2008


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Location and weather- Coating storage depot

- CO2-fire extinction system release

- At the bottom of a vallye, near houses

- Inverted atmospheric conditions, no wind

On scene impressions

- Cars stopped due to oxygen lack

- People: difficulties in breathing,

unconsciuos, convulsions- Birds fell from the sky

Injured persons

107 totally, 13 transported to hospitals,

1prolonged stay:surgical injury,motor biker


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Incident minutes

Fire of a pallet with coatings, wooden chips

Automatic CO2-release in 1 extinction area (34 t, 2000 m)Doors to neighbouring extinction area, to environment:

- Some did not close automatically / opened by pressure

- Possible: Others were opened by fire fighters

2nd release (rest of total 50 t CO2!). Possible reasons:

- 2nd triggering of automatic fire extinguishing system

- Automatic CO2-supply after concentration decay


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Fire service tasks

Rescuing / Paramedic support

Evacuation (150 houses)Warning of residents:

Close windows, stay at upper floors

Fire fightingMeasuring

360 Fire men and members of relieve organizations,

120 Police staffs on scene


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-> Helicopters of the federal police dilute the gas:

But: How to get off the CO2 ??


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CO R l f E ti i hi S t


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1. Operation StartKeepdistancewithoutbreathingapparatus. Danger to first forces!

Do not enter extinction area at first !

Control all doors to extinction area and close them !

Check for injured persons outside extinction area !

Enter extinction area, look after persons and fire !

CO2- Releases from Extinguishing Systems:

Lessons learnt

2. Area Control

Use CO2-measurement devices !

Danger of O2-measuring: 19...20%O2 10%CO2 !

Aereas seeming to be clear may have been flooded before!

CO R l f E ti i hi S t


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3. Fire Prevention / Applied for building permissions are:

a) Guidelines of the property insurance industry (germany)

e.g."VdS 2093: Guidelines for CO2Fire Extinguishing Systems"

plus

b) additional requirements

pursuant to Northrhine-Westfalian Fire Services

e.g. requirement of CO2-shelter for on-scene fire alarm centre,

requirement of automatical fire service alarm

CO2- Releases from Extinguishing Systems:

Lessons learnt


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Thank you for listening !

Further information:

a) Fire Prevention / Building Permissions

www.vds.de (e.g. VdS 2093)

www.kohlhammer.de/brandschutz-zeitschrift.de/

download/Brandschutzartikel/PDF/heft/inhvz01_09.pdf

b) Operations

www.idf.nrw.de/download/praesentationen/20081104_co2_loeschanlagen.pdf

carbon dioxide incidents 2010 nl 1

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