Toxic gases from compartment fires with hanging cotton towels and low ventilation

A 1.6 m³ compartment was used to investigate hanging cotton towels fires. Single towel fires were compared with two towels widely spaced. The fire ventilation was fixed to give 6 ACH, similar to a leaky linen storage area or clothing drying room. Toxic gas emissions were measured from the mean ceiling gas sample using heated sample transfer to a heated Temet Gasmet FTIR. The cotton towels, after an initial fast burning phase, fell to the compartment floor and smouldered at low compartment temperature. Very high toxic yields of CO and irritant gases, particularly acrolein, were then formed.