Fire Behavior

Here's a good YouTube video for illustrating fire behavior principals.
We all know that in order for a fire to burn you must have fuel, heat, and oxygen.  Solids and liquids don't burn, only gases.  As the solids and liquids heat up they decompose and release combustible gases that will burn.  At the 12second mark of the video look at what happens to the smoke.



The smoke venting from the doorway starts to light up because it was too rich to burn until it got into the atmosphere.  It's way hot (look at the push behind it and how it is flowing straight up), and obviously from the dark color we know that it is chock full of unburned material.  All it needs is that breath. 

I'm not sure when this video started in relation to crews arriving, but it seems like their is some kind of water supply issue.  The stream is weak once it starts and the pipeman was standing there waiting to open up.  This is a situation where you might want to start a little further back from the door as well.  Just a few thoughts and some things to look for.

Stay Safe