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If there is a risk of a backdraught occurring it is best to<br />
ventilate the room directly out to the open air, if possible.<br />
Ventilation must be done as high up as possible to force out<br />
any unburnt smoke gases. As there is a build-up of positive<br />
pressure, it is important that there is a “clear path” out for any<br />
backdraught which occurs. Otherwise, there can be a very<br />
large increase in pressure. A backdraught is a very short event.<br />
This means that fi refi ghters wearing the appropriate protective<br />
clothing have a good chance of coping, even if they are<br />
caught unawares by an ignition.<br />
You can also try to cool down the smoke gases. The best<br />
way to do this is without opening the room, for instance, by<br />
using piercing nozzle or a cutting extinguisher.<br />
The piercing nozzle option comes in two versions: piercing<br />
nozzle attack and piercing nozzle containment. You proceed<br />
with this option as follows. First of all, you make a hole in the<br />
structure. You then insert the piercing nozzle. Given that, with<br />
this exting uishing method, you are not opening any doors and<br />
windows or piercing a large hole, this prevents any additional<br />
excess air reaching the fi re, which could make the fi re more<br />
intense. The piercing nozzle is dispensed at around 70 l/min.<br />
at a pressure of 8 bar. Piercing nozzle is a good method to use<br />
in the case of attic fi res, for instance, when the fi re still has not<br />
yet broken through the ceiling (see Figure 108).<br />
The cutting extinguisher is a device which is under development<br />
in Sweden. Cutting extinguishers have the unique ability<br />
to penetrate walls and outer layers, along with effi ciently extinguishing<br />
fi res. These are features which are considerably<br />
valuable during a fi refi ghting operation. The water droplets<br />
coming through the jet reduce the temperature more effectively<br />
than a standard mist nozzle. 39<br />
Figure 108.<br />
Piercing nozzle.<br />
Figure 109. Hand-held<br />
lance version of cutting<br />
extinguisher.<br />
141