Fire Combating/Fire Fighting

While fighting fire, it is necessary to understand its characteristics, the way it can develop and speed with which it can spread, the effect of it on the ventilation and conversely the effect of ventilation on it

 Effects of fire: Smoke generation -Obscure vision, choke persons & unpleasant, can cause smoke backing - Release of toxic gases Damage to roof support system & occurrence of roof falls due to excessive heat Effect of heat generated on Ventilation System

Constriction (Throttle effect) Increase in volume by expansion of gases due to heat, release of product of combustion and release of vapours due to heating of mineral & rocks Opposes the ventilation in the vicinity of fire Buoyancy effect Reduction of density of the atmosphere on the downwind side due to increase temp. Effect depending upon dip direction Level- Smoke backing Dipping- extensive Smoke backing Rising- Reduced smoke backing

Minimum Air velocity to avoid smoke backing or smoke roll back Entry Ht.,m Dip 0% 1.2 1.8 2.4 3.0 60 75 84 96 Velocity, m/min 10% 72 87 100 112 20% 90 108 126 141

Principles of dealing with underground fires:

A fire can be dealt with one of the following or combination: 1. Removal of combustibles: by loading out the blazing materials and/or isolating the heated zone from the rest of the fuel feed 2. Lowering down the temperature; Use of collants 3. Cutting off oxygen supply: Direct method or indirect method

Methodology adopted in fire combating depends on: 1. Seat of fire : in roadway, roof, pillars or in goaf 2. Magnitude of fire: Direct method of cutting off oxygen supply and loading out are not applicable in case of large fires 3. Approachability: 4. Gassiness of the mine 5. Ventilation situation: 6. Availability of resources:

Direct Method: to bring the fire under control by using suitable extinguishing agents or coolants Loading out: if fire is small and approachable Sealing off the fire: a. if direct method and loading out is not effective b. fire is unapproachable c. fire is of a very large magnitude d. if there exist likely danger to the personnel Combination: a. extinguishing agents along with loading out operation b. infusion of inert gases and introduction of coolant simultaneously with sealing off operation

Fire Combat Methods: The different methods of combating underground fires are: 1. Loading out the fires. 2. Cooling by water. 3. Using extinguishers
a. b. c. d. e. Liquid extinguishers. Foam type High expansion foam plug. Powder extinguishers. Halon type extinguishers.

4. Infusion of inert gases. 5. Sealing off the fires

A.

DIRECT METHODS:

1. Loading out the fires:

Removal of hot or combustible mass is one of the best methods of liquidating the fire. But this method can be applied only where the seat of the fire accessible and not much area is involved and also there is not much danger from emission of fire damp. Usually they are successful in shallow fires in roof, floor, pillars or barriers.

During the loading out operation adequate ventilation for the working personnel has to be maintained at site even at the cost of spreading of fire. Hence quick action is needed for success of the operation.

The different action programs to be followed in succession are usually as follows: a. Lowering the temperature by water spraying. b. Digging out the hot mass while simultaneously cooling it. c. Filling up the void created from removal of solids, with incombustibles. d. Filing adequate roof supports to prevent collapse of the dug out pillars.

The success of the above method depends much on the prompt action in the early stage of the fire. In an advanced stage the danger from falls and explosion makes the removal of burning mass difficult. If the spread of fire is faster than the removal rate of the burning mass, then the loading out method should be abandoned in favor of other methods.

2. Cooling by water:

Water is the cheapest and the most effective extinguishing agent often used as a good coolant, due to its high latent heat of evaporation. Water can be applied by injecting directly to the seat of fire as water jet through hoses from water mains or by spraying. The former has the advantage that it can penetrate through the cracks and may reach the deeper layer of the burning mass. Spraying on the other hand forms a water curtain and knocks down the flame easily with this method more stem can be produced forming an insulating layer and better cooling effect of the surrounding is achieved, thus requires less amount of water. Sprinkler system also plays a very vital role in cooling by water. Water mains.

3. Extinguishing agents:

Uses of extinguishers are quite effective in fighting out small open fire. These extinguishers are useful in incipient fires when the fire is in the initial stage. The usual method is to force the extinguishing agent directly into the seat of the fire. These spread over the burning material forming a layer or a film separating the air.

a. Liquid extinguishers (water type):

In this type, the cooling property of water may be improved by the addition of salt like NaHCO3, KHCO3, NaCl, Na2CO3, NH4Cl, Na2SiO3, Na2SO4, MgSO4, CaCl2, K2CO3, (NH4)2 HPO4 and NH4H2PO4 requiring less amount if water. These salts may form an insulating layer and cutting off air feed to the seat of fire. In portable type liquid extinguishers the solution is ejected by CO2 pressure. CO2 is generated by allowing the alkali to come in contact with H2SO4 tube, which is punctured during operation. These extinguishers should be used for fighting small fires in fabrics, coal heaps etc. the extinguisher jet is to be directed to the bottom of the fire and then reach upwards, as far as practicable, to gain advantage of rising steam to out off air feed. They are however unsuitable for electrical fires, liquid fires, or far large scale fires.

b. Foam type: Foam can float on the surface of any liquid and are ideal for extinguishing liquid fuel fires. Thick foam can isolate the burning object from surrounding air. 6 NaHCO3 + Al2(SO4)3 = 3Na2SO4 + 2Al(OH)3 + 6CO2 Foam can also be generated by aerating hydrolyzed proteins with suitable surface acting agents. A well functioning foam extinguisher can eject the foam to a distance of 8m working at 5kg/cm2 pressure. They are not suitable for electrical fires, foam being conductor of electricity.

c. High expansion foam plugs:

This method may be used to extinguish fairly large open fires like belt fires or roadway fires. The volume of foam generated is often 1000 times that of the solution sprayed (expansion ratio = air: water (solution) :: 1000 : 1). It quickly fills in the entire roadways creating a foam plug and advances with the ventilation current towards the seat of fire. On reaching the fire the water content of the foam evaporates and brings down the oxygen concentration to such an extent so as to suppress the combustion.

Limitations: The use of high expansion foam is restricted to the following situations: In a mine roadway with a rise steeper than 1 in 10 or with dipping more than 1 in 5. In gallery height above 3m. In deep seated fires or in cases where the fire gets blocked from massive roof falls. At places where electrical service wiring remains exposed.

d. Powder extinguishers:

Dry powder consists of small solid particles (= 40um) suspended in a gas, usually dry nitrogen or CO2. This ensures flow as well as good stream form nozzles. Three types of dry chemicals are commonly used in dry chemicals system.
The major constituents are sodium-bi-carbonate, potassium-bi-carbonate, and mono- ammonium-phosphate. All are effective extinguishing agent for fires on flammable liquid and combustible gases. Only multipurpose dry chemical is an effective agent for fires in ordinary combustibles such as wood and paper. Being non-conductive, dry chemicals may be used on fires involving live electrical equipment. Various additives are mixed with these base materials to improve their storage, flow, and water repellency characteristics. Usually a mass of powered sodium-bi-carbonate or potassium-bi-carbonate kept preserved with a suitable additive to prevent lump formation. It is ejected with CO2 pressure on the seat of the fire. The powdered mass when applied over fire may form are inert cloud 8-10m long and 1m wide. Beside taking out heat and acting as a radiation shield thin cloud acts as an inert barrier cutting off oxygen supply.

e. Halon type extinguishers:

They are suitable for fires in electrical installation and or liquid fires. Halons are a general name to halogenated compounds which have fire extinguishing properties. A halogenated compound is one which contains one or more atoms of an element from the halogen series. eg. fluorine, chlorine, or bromine atom. The halons are chemical derivatives of methane (CH4) or ethane (CH3 - CH3) in which some or all hydrogen atoms have been replaced with fluorine, chlorine, or bromine atom. In contact with a flowing mass they vaporize and the heavier vapors of them (eg.CCl4 vapors is 5.5 times heavier than air) drive away air from the burning surface. Their use, however is discouraged in underground fire combating, due to the possibility of formation of toxic gases like phosgene (COCl2) with TLV valve as low as 0.5 ppm.

3. Infusion of inert gases:

Application of inert gases in dealing with large-scale underground fires have gained important in recent times. The inert gases commonly used are CO2, N2 or a mixture of CO2 and N2.
The inert gas works by cutting off oxygen feed to the fire area as well as by taking away the heat. Even after sealing off an affected area, considerable leakage of air continues within as the fire keeps on consuming a portion of oxygen of air in the dead space of the sealed zone, causing contraction and thereby creating section for leakages.

Continued infusion of inert gases within is expected to nullify the above tendencies of air movement to the fire.
CO2 is better in quick replenishment of air, being 1.5 times heavier then air. It starts filling up from floor upwards. But since it is heavier, it can also escape very quickly through cracks in the floor once filled up; it is difficult to flush out CO2 from roadways etc. when needed. It has to be taken out by diluting with air. Besides the above stated oxygen replacement qualities of inert gas infusion, the method is also advantageous in facilitating cooling.

B. INDIRECT METHOD Sealing off the fires: Application:

- Fires originating from spontaneous heating and/or large scale underground fires when other direct methods of firefighting proved unsuccessful or are considered not possible - If the fire is inaccessible, eg. if it is extensive or if there is danger of fire damp explosion when dealing with it, it has to be sealed off.

It is a sure method of cutting off oxygen feed to the fire, though it requires a long time for extinguishing the fire. The aim is to prevent access of air to the fire and starve it of oxygen. The sealing operations have to be conducted from places which will not be affected by the effects of fire like heat, smoke, CO, CO2 etc. Time factor play an important role in sealing. Delay will cause the fire to spread over a large area and the extensive fire may go out of control resulting in abandonment of the mines.

 The main problems posed in sealing off fires are the leakages of air within and the threat from explosion. The different phases of sealing off operation are carried out keeping the above problem in view. These operational phases for underground sealing are: i) Site selection for erecting stoppings. ii) Sequence of seal making. iii) Modus operandi of building up the stopping.

i) Site Selection: The site for making the stopping should be on strong rock devoid of any cracks so that air leakages are minimized. The stoppings should be as near the fire area as possible to minimize void volume. In case of gassy mine, distance of stopping from fire depends upon the amount of gas emitted, gas emission points in between the fire and stopping site and on the magnitude of fire the need to build up the stoppings quickly requiring transport facility for material moved. Hence stoppings site near haulage roads are preferred. Distance between stopping and nearest airway should be 10-15 m Fresh air supply to be maintained on the out bye side of stopping

ii) Sequence of seal making: Where no risk from explosion is apparent, the stopping is first built on the intake side followed by building them in air split points and lastly the return ends are plugged. But in case of gassy mines plugging the intake stoppings may help in building up methane concentration. Closing the return ends first is also not advisable, as the accumulation of combustion gases may be facilitated thereby. Hence ventilation has to be maintained all through the period of building the stoppings by keeping a pipe with 300mm to 400mm diameter in the intake and return end. They are to be plugged simultaneously in a quick operation by either closing them with sand bags or by maintaining provisions of doors. The underground team is withdrawn immediately after plugging the tunnel. There may be explosion from one hour to 24 hrs. after sealing. American experience suggest it to occur four to six hours after plugging when this period has elapsed, an assessment of the condition of stoppings are made. Necessary repair work, brick walling even building up additional stopping may then be made as considered necessary.

iii) Modus operandi in buildings up stoppings: Quickness of operation and at the same time leak proof ness are the two criteria that are to be satisfied in making the stopping. For gassy mines it has to be explosion proof. It is therefore a normal practice to make two sets of stopping in degree I gassy mine - Temporary stoppings - Permanent stoppings.

- Temporary stopping: These types of stoppings are quickly made to restrict air flow to the fire while making preparation for building the permanent stoppings. These stoppings could be merely of PVC sheeting or plaster of paris mixed with water or gypsum or simply glass fiber blocks piled one above the other or a parachute stopping.

- Permanent stopping: Usually they are brick stopping built with cement and mortar. The thickness of the brick wall depends on the pressure exerted by the roof and cross section of the roadways. The stopping can be made explosion proof if needed ( higher degree of gassines seams). Normally edges of the stoppings are the source of air leakage. Hence to make them leak proof, it is a common practice to cut into roof, floor and sides. (coal 1 m, Sandstone 0.15 m and Shale 0.30 m) Brick walls are made over them and the lining on the edges are plastered with sand and cement and with other leak proof agent, extending up to a length of around 1m in the roof, floor and walls. The stoppings are then checked for any development of cracks. Sometimes two brick walls are built at a distance of more than 4.5 m and the space between them is filled with sand. Such stopping are more leak-proof and stronger. These are explosion proof stoppings to be employed in Degree II gassiness mines If the stopping has to withstand high pressure, a brick wall is built convex towards the fire side. For draining out water flow behind the seal, a pipe with a valve is incorporated at the bottom of the brick walls. In order to collect gas samples, one or two metal pipes with taps fitted in them are kept in the seal. Pipe connections are also kept in the stopping for measuring temperature changes and pressure fluctuation.

Fittings on Stoppings: 1. Water gauge 2. Thermometer 3. Sampling Pipe, 18 mm dia with a valve for collecting air samples behind the stopping. It should pass through temporary stopping if any and extend atleast 3 m behind it. 4. 50 mm dia pipe with plug for recording temperature 5. Water seal at the floor level for drainage 6. Number plate 7. Signature board 8. Ladder if height is more than 2.0 m

Iv) Inspection and control of fire - Maintenance of stoppings by regular inspection - Systematic mointoring of the fire by gas, thermal or pressure survey - Taking rcourse to additional measures such as infusion of inert gasses, flooding etc. for liquidating the fire

FLOODING THE FIRE AREA OR THE ENTIRE MINE

Flooding a fire area is the last resort after direct attack and sealing have failed. A mine is flooded when fire (after powerful explosion) have assumed such proportion that all other methods of fire fighting cannot be employed due to explosion hazard and the entire mines is to be saved from destruction. To flood a fire area effectively, sufficient quantity of water must first be available and fire area must be suitably located. Flooding has following disadvantages:
Heavy damage to the mines and equipment. Difficulty of obtaining the required amount of water in a short period of time. Possibility of generating water gas by an insufficient amount of water. Heavy expenditure on dewatering. Danger of 'water blast' during dewatering.

 HYDRAULIC FLUSHING The method can be recommended where the strata are so broken that neither sealing nor flooding will be effective. Generally, the fire is sealed off with stoppings in the usual manner and then the sealed area is flushed within a day. Water, sand-water, sand-crushed, rock-water, or sand-clay watermixture through pipes left is the stopping. Experience had shown that the slid fill the voids completely and reduces where as in certain places, eliminate fire gases, cool the adjacent rocks and offers support to the ground. During flushing care should be taken so that the slurry is not directed straight on to the fire seal but at a point rear if in order that water gas explosion from dissociation of water does not take place.