Alert 00 – 30 Serious Fire Extinguisher Alert
WHAT HAPPENED:
Recently a person on Fire Watch was killed when he attempted to use a hand held cartridge type fire extinguisher to extinguish a small smoldering fire. When the internal CO2 cylinder was opened (225 psi/17 bar) to energize the fire extinguisher, part of the bottom of the fire extinguisher cracked open striking the individual in the chest. A similar fatality and other similar near miss incidents have happened in the past with this type of fire extinguisher.