Heavy brown smoke from structure fire??

this will get your mind going??

You arrive at a working structure fire with heavy brown smoke. What is going on in the house?

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Permalink Reply by ricky on July 21, 2010 at 2:31pm

never really heard anyone talk about brown smoke

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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on July 21, 2010 at 2:43pm

The physical structure of the building itself is beginning to burn/is burning(as opposed to contents).

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Permalink Reply by ricky on July 21, 2010 at 2:46pm

ya i now remember hearing my dad and uncle tell me that just didnt remember off the top of my head

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Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on July 21, 2010 at 3:02pm

Like Jack and Capt stated, some wooden structure members can produce brownish smoke.
Depending on the structure you mention, there could be a number of other materials burning..such as, wood, paper, or cloth - all of which could produce grey-to brown smoke.
Cooking oil can produce brown smoke, whereas products such as Naphtha, Lacquer thinner and turpentine will produce black to brown colored smoke. Oxygen content plays a role in the color of smoke as well.
Even gunpowder can give off a yellow-brownish color, as does Nitrocellulose, sulfer and acids.
Good post you brought up. Color of smoke can tell a person lots, which of course is why as responders we always pay attention to what color the smoke is. It helps the investigators determine what or where to begin.
I have to wonder, what would the smoke look like when a POV with a blue light goes through it..aww forget it.. scratch that last comment lol

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Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on July 21, 2010 at 3:05pm

Oh, and by the way, another thing that will really get your mind going, is visiting your page! WTF??? talk about panic!! I could not find the exit, and was beginning to breathe rapidly.. Hard on the fn eyes too! lol just sayin..

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Permalink Reply by Matthew Voges on July 22, 2010 at 9:23am

I really need to get that book!

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Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on July 22, 2010 at 9:41am

Melvin, The structure of the house is burning(wood). You will see this alot when the structure is empty. In a house that as been moved out of. Smoke can always tell the story if we take time to watch it before we go into action.

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on July 22, 2010 at 10:45pm

From the pumper we would be saying "this is a goer... As with answers above, it could be many things.

Can depend on the structure itself, a house? The fire is probably into the wooden frame.
A factory? Probably contents - might be a furniture factory?

We'd be likely to be calling for more support as soon as we saw the smoke. If there was a lot of that heavy smoke, chances we'd be getting the message on turnout that there had been multiple calls, an indication that this could be a big one.

Want to extend you question? What if that heavy brown smoke was from a wildfire?

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Permalink Reply by FETC on July 23, 2010 at 8:07am

The color of smoke alone is not a proven science as to what is burning... I suggest viewing the actual program and learning about Volume, Velocity, Color and Density.

Fire Engineering offers David Dodson's Art of Reading Smoke-II; as a free webcast. Here is the link.

http://www.fireengineering.com/index/webcasts/webcastdisplay/574/we...

Or if you want to download the PowerPoint from the author, he offers it from Firefighter Close Calls

http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/downloads.php

Take Care Stay Safe
FETC
www.fetcservices.com