general instructions. - Limit Of Shunt

184 G e n e r a l Instructions.—Continued.
FIRES OCCURRING IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONVEYANCE OF
ACIDS, MATCHES, CHARCOAL, ETC.
General Rules 226 and 279.
The following instructions must be observed in dealing with FIRES in
connection -
with
t h e
Fires in Wagons (General).
c Isolate o n vthe
wagon at once and forward it as quickly as possible to the
enearest y awater n supply or Fire Station, unless it is clear that the fire can be
dealt with by buckets of water from the locomotive tender or by smothering
cwith e ballast. After a fire, the wagon must be detained under observation
oat
the nearest Station for a sufficient time to make sure that no further out-
f break of fire will occur.
A Where c any smouldering goods are left at the side of the line, the Station-
i
master
d
at the nearest Station must be notified, and he must take steps to
have the goods, after extinction of any remaining fire, removed to his
s Station , without delay.
MWhen a possible, packages on fire should be removed from the wagons
tbefore cextinguishing,
so as to avoid damaging more goods than necessary
h
with water.
e
s ,
Acids.
C When h consignments of acid are on fire, care must be taken to apply water-
afrom a r safe distance, as the contact of water may cause some dangerous
spurting of the acid.
c o
Sand or earth may be used to stop a fire started by acid, but in that
acase water l should be used soon afterwards to prevent the fire breaking out
, again. Sufficient water must be used to flush away all acid which has been
espilt.
t It is dangerous to breathe acid fumes ; keep, therefore, to the windward,
cand
avoid entering enclosed spaces where such fumes are present.
. Oleum (Fuming Sulphuric Acid) gives off fumes like white smoke, and
may therefore sometimes appear to be on fire if a vessel containing it is
broken or leaking. Do not assume fire in this case unless flame can be seen.
For putting out a fire, ashes, lime or ballast is much better than water in
this case, owing to the heat given out when water comes into contact with
the acid. Avoid getting any acid on the hands or clothes.
In cases where Oleum is leaking from a drum or glass vessel, and the
containing vessel is not broken, the package should either be carefully lifted
out of the wagon and deposited on the ground in a safe place until it can
be attended to by some authorised person, or, if the leak can be temporarily
closed with a wooden plug and the vessel securely scotched in the wagon, it,
should be surrounded with ashes or lime and sent forward to destination.
Celluloid and Celluloid Scrap.
These fires rapidly become fierce so should be dealt with promptly. Water
is the . best extinguisher, but chemical extinguishers may be useful. Such
fires cannot be extinguished by smothering, and therefor. ballast, etc., is
of no use in putting out such fires.