The journalist Mariana Moyano died in the early hours of this Wednesday after suffer a very serious accident domestic with fire. Martín López Calvo, head of fire and explosion investigation of the City Fire Department, spoke with Clarion about the care that must be taken to try to avoid this type of accident.
The episode took place on the terrace of a home in Floresta, where city firefighters arrived alerted by a fire.
According to the official report, “a fire developed on the terrace on a stove, which has already been extinguished.” In the place, there were four women making a bonfire that “When they tried to introduce fuel, they suffered burns.”
According to López Calvo, these are usually “disk-shaped heating braziers that work with a type of alcohol called bioethanol”.
Point out that you always have to acquire certified artifacts but that, beyond being considered safe, then it is key handle them correctly because its use involves risks.
“The fuel in this type of device must be placed when it is dull and cold. Throwing bioethanol or other alcohol into it with the device on or hot becomes dangerous because it ignites so quickly that does not give the person time to react”, warns the fire specialist.
This same recommendation should be taken into account for other more frequent situations such as handling fire when making a barbecue.
“Alcohol should not be used on any occasion or during the process.that should be the main premise,” explains López Calvo.
And he highlights: “As a second point, it must be clear that throwing any flammable substance when the grill is hot is really risky due to the effect it can trigger.”
When a fire starts, the ideal is to have a fire extinguisher. If you don’t have one, it is advisable to use a blanket.
“Covering the brazier with a blanket is the way to remove oxygen from the fire. If there is a person who is burning, the recommendation is the same. If a pan burns, it must be covered; you can also place a cloth on it, preferably damp,” he adds.
Why shouldn’t you use water?
“Water boils at 100 degrees. In a fire, the temperature is much higher: 400 or even 500 degrees. Then, when water is thrown on the fire, steam is generated so violently that this generates an explosion and, consequently, an expansion of the fire,” explains López Calvo.
The tragedy that involved the journalist has similarities with the case of the young woman who died from burns after an explosion suffered while sharing a moment with friends in a bar in San Miguel in 2020.
It happened when a girl came to refill with fuel a brazier that was near the victim, Lucía Costa Osores, 18 years old. The trial for her death began last month.
The post first appeared on www.clarin.com