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Comment by Pierre-Louis Lamballais on April 18, 2011 at 8:26am

First, before reading my answer, read that:
http://www.tantad.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&si...
http://www.tantad.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&si...

On the video, fire can be seen at 00;57. From 00:57 to 1H45, nothing happend (in the case of the Mouscron's fire of the first article, less than 50 minutes after the arrival, lines were ready...)

The max heat release rate of a structural fire depend on ventilation, not on fuel.At 02:51 breaking windows seems to be a game, but will certainly not help. It will increase the HRR of the fire.

05:41 - Guys in front of opening without SCBA. CO production will decrease their physical capacity, chemical product will increase the cancer risk and in case of explosion, they will be blasted as they have nothing to protect their mouth of breating system. Letting people their without SCBA is a command mistake.

06:02. Too much people at the pump (civilians???)

06:40. If FF were knowing good extinction method, the fire would have been out and no one would have been tired. Seeing a yound man, so tired at this moment proove organisational, tactical and technical faillure. We can give him water, but next time, thing will be the same until he will die.

07:16. Cutting the roof. Why??? If the fire is out, you can ventilate gently using a fan and opening doors (not breaking them, you are here to save people but also property). If the fire is not complelty out, cutting the roof will create a chimney effect, will increase the air intake (accelaration of convection current), will increase the fire or re-ignite it. Absolutly no reason for cutting the roof.

08:58. Of course, as extinction method were not weml performed, the fire rise again...

10:11. Someone break windows again and other continue cutting the roof. No one seem to understand the whit smoke is pyrolise one as no one cool them. The result of that will be a spread of fire and ignition of white smoke (perhaps on 2nd video).

11:00 too much people, hose line for nothing and a beautifull swimming pool efect ont the ground in front of the house.

Conclusion: no understanding of structural fire dynamics and no knowledge of extinction of such a fire. So the guys try some way of doing (breaking, cutting..) without knowing exactly what this will do (and of course, are unable to see the link between what they've done and the effect).

Actions don't came from knowledge but from habits. In a few month or years, the yound FF will die of heart attack, everybody will cry and ask for more budget... it's sad.

Best regards
Pierre-Louis