Escaping a burning building isn’t as simple as walking out due to the nature of fire and what comes with it when it’s uncontrollable in a confined space.
There are three main ways to die in a building fire: inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, burns, and asphyxiation. Inhalation of smoke and toxic gases is the leading cause of death in building fires.
The smoke produced by a fire is filled with deadly chemicals. As the smoke spreads through a burning building, it can quickly overwhelm the respiratory system, leading to unconsciousness and death. Burns are also a common cause of death in building fires. Exposure to extreme heat can cause third-degree burns over large areas of the body, resulting in shock and organ failure. Finally, asphyxiation is a risk in any fire, as oxygen is consumed by the flames. In a confined space, the lack of oxygen can lead to dizziness, disorientation, and eventually unconsciousness.
So for obvious and not so apparent reasons, escaping from a burning building with speed and care is critical because fire spreads fast but is not the only thing that expands and can kill you.
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