How Do You Fight Gas Line Fires?
Gas fires present a challenge to firefighters since water alone will not extinguish them, and they can occur almost anywhere around the home where there is a natural gas or propane fuel source. Barbecue grills, stoves, clothes dryers and hot water heaters are some of the most common appliances that use these flammable gasses. The most effective means of extinguishing such a fire is to starve it by cutting off its fuel source. Protect any exposures that may be impinged by the fire by deploying an appropiate number of hose teams relative to the size of the fire. The hose teams are typically made up of two or three men on either a 2.75 inch or 1.5 inch hoseline. Identify the source of the fire and use the nearest gas line shut-off valve to stop the flow of gas. Most gas valves are quarter turn valves and are off when the valve handle is perpendicular to the gas line If the valve is in close proximity to the fire, use one or two suppression teams, depending on the size of the fire, to adva
