blackwolf
Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17516
 
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One of the problems associated with car fires nowadays is that there is often significant flourine in various components, especially oil seals and insulation. When incinerated, the flourine compounds produce hydroflouric acid which is both corrosive and very, very toxic. Its toxicity is especially problematic since it is very readily absorbed through the skin from contact, it will cause nerve damage, react with the calcium in the blood, and can cause cardiac arrest. It is, without exaggeration, one of the worst possible substances you can get on your skin.
This is the main reason why fire crews now are required to wear full BA and full PPE when dealing with car fires.
You need to be careful dealing with any vehicle which has had a fire, even if rebuilding it, or stripping damaged components from it.
Seriously bad stuff.
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26th Nov 2014 3:42pm |
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Rickydodah
Member Since: 14 Jul 2014
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 1091
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We used to hydrofluoric acid in petroleum refining as part of the process in octane boosting, in those days it could only be open to the atmosphere in a controlled fume cupboard other than that it had to be in closed vessels.
Blackwolf is dead right it is very nasty stuff often with skin contamination the only way to arrest its advance through the body is amputation. When a lot of natural rubber was used in seals and hoses it wasn't a problem but with many forms of synthetic rubber the acid leeches out under very high temperature. Quite often this is why many car breakers will not dismantle fire damaged vehicles.  I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
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26th Nov 2014 4:01pm |
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