Fire Development
Comparison between
sprinkler controlled and
uncontrolled burn
compiled by don mardle
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature Burn time Temperature
200 C 40 seconds 200 C
Smoke alarm operated at 15 seconds
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature Burn time Temperature
450 C 1 minute 45 seconds 450 C
Fire is doubling in size every 30 seconds
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature Burn time Temperature
680 C 2 minute 30 seconds 680 C
Automatic sprinkler
activated
Discharging 40 -80 litres
per minute
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature Burn time Temperature
600 C 4 minutes 1600 C
Medium droplets subduing fire
Small droplets have Deadly carbon monoxide
cooling effect building
Controlled Uncontrolled
Flashover!
Temperature Burn time Temperature
350 C 5 minutes 6000 C - 12000 C
Carbon monoxide ignites
at 5000C
Fire almost out Fire service called
Windows break
Instant DEATH
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature Burn time Temperature
300 C 7 minutes 14000 C
Flames extinguished
Smoke clearing
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature Burn time Temperature
280 C 7 minutes 30 seconds 14000 C
Fire service won’t actually arrive for another 5 minutes!
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature Burn time Temperature
250 C 8 minutes 480 C
Sprinkler continues
to operate
Controlled Uncontrolled
Burn time
8 minutes 30 seconds
Fire service won’t arrive for another 4 minutes!
Controlled Uncontrolled
Burn time
9 minutes 30 seconds
Fire service won’t arrive for another 3 minutes!
Controlled Uncontrolled
Burn time
11 minutes
Fire service won’t arrive for another 1 minute!
Controlled Uncontrolled
Sprinkler turned off Burn time
by Fire service
340 – 720 litres consumed 13 minutes
Fire service have been in attendance for 1 minute!
Controlled Uncontrolled
Room has been Burn time Fire subdued,
aired for 15 damping down still
28 minutes
minutes underway
Clean-up has
begun
Controlled Uncontrolled
Clean-up has been Burn time Temperature
underway for 17
30 minutes 480 C
minutes
Fire extinguished
Controlled Uncontrolled
340 – 720 litres
27,500 litres of water used
of water used
Controlled Uncontrolled
Temperature
480 C
Controlled Uncontrolled
