Fire Triangle
1. Fuel: is any material that can burn
- solids (paper, wood, plastic)
- liquids (paint thinner, gasoline)
- gases (propane, natural gas butane)
2. Heat: needed to raise the temperature of fuel to the point where the fuel burns
- chemical (gas fuel cooking, open flames)
- mechanical (friction sparks from grinding material)
- electrical (static electricty, defective switches and appliances, heating and lighting systems)
3. Oxygen: approximately 16% required
- atmosphere (normal air contains 21% oxygen)
- chemical (pure oxygen used in hospitals and in some industries)
All three (3) elements must be present in order for fire to prosper.