Classroom Blazes
One of the scariest thoughts for any parent is a fire at their kid's school. Fires can spread so fast, and many materials used in construction are flammable. The environment can become toxic and disorientating in a very short time.
So any building solutions which improve the integrity of school buildings are not really options - they're no-brainers. IKO Prevent is a fire-retardant waterproofing membrane which (thanks to a built-in graphite layer) actually extinguishes flames, giving kids more time to evacuate safely.
Here’s a collection of stories to show you just how rapid spreading and intense classroom blazes can be...
Petone College Fire, WN, NZ
Fifteen appliances were called to contain this fire in a disused classroom block.
Dairy Flat AKL, NZ
Locals thought this was a bonfire, but were surprised at how fast it spread.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
This iconic image elicits fear from even the calmest of parents.
Amboy, OR, USA
This fire was part of a firefighting demonstration. You can see how the roof fuels the flames rather than suppress it.
Oliver, BC, Canada
It’s history and tradition that are the victims of fires like this. The fire ripped through recently renovated classrooms, and a historic auditorium.
Manchester, England
This fire ripped through classrooms and laboratories wiping out 20% of the schools facilities after being set (probably deliberately) behind the school.
Taking More Care.
There’s a number of steps you can take to mitigate the effects of a fire, including alarms and monitoring. But arguably one of the easiest is specifying flame retardant materials in the build. Check out this video how IKO turned a bitumen waterproofing/insulation membrane into an extra layer of fire protection, not only suppressing the rate of spread of a fire, but minimising the likelihood of injuries from dripping tar.
About Neuchatel:
For the last 100+ years we've been protecting tens of thousands of surfaces from deterioration caused by heavy machinery and the elements. Over time we've refined our products and our service to be more durable, environmentally friendly and affordable - especially for large scale projects.