"Do you know what that fire extinguisher did? It exploded in my face. I mean, what is the point of a fire extinguisher? It sits there for months, and when you actually have a fire - when you actually need the bloody thing - it blows your head off!"
Posted on 04/14/2011 10:05:32 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Fire extinguishers could be removed from communal areas in flats throughout the country because they are a safety hazard, it has emerged.
The life-saving devices encourage untrained people to fight a fire rather than leave the building, risk assessors in Bournemouth decided.
There are fears that their recommendation, which has seen the extinguishers ripped out of several private, high-rise flats in the town, could set a national precedent.
Under the Fire Safety Order of 2005, fire assessments must be carried out to 'eliminate or reduce risk as is reasonably practical'.
But Mike Edwards, who lives in one of the blocks, said he was 'absolutely staggered' that risk experts thought it a safe decision.
'They are worried we will point them in the wrong direction or use the wrong extinguishers,' he said. 'But if you are trapped in a burning building, you will work out how to use one.'
The 61-year-old claimed his neighbours were now worried sick that a fire could break out.
Dorset Fire and Rescue defended the move, saying: 'Obviously, in some cases, an extinguisher could come in useful but, with new building regulations, every escape route should be completely fireproof.'
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents backed their removal because different extinguishers should be used on different types of fire.
But the Department for Communities and Local Government denied it would see them removed from all flats.
'Fire and safety regulations make clear that appropriate safety equipment must be provided,' said a spokesman.
Independent health and safety consultant Anthony Petitt suggested training people in their use – 'otherwise it's just putting people at risk'.
British Nanny State PING!
Of course, we mere mortals could not be expected to use such a complicated machine as a fire extinguisher.
It takes an advanced degree in (choose an appropriate worthless, no brainer lib arts degree) to operate it properly.
Sounds like the Brits think the cannisters would be used in terrorist activity.
Absolutely astounding.
Baa! Baa! Baa!
Lee Doren is right, the Onion is not going to be able to stay in business much longer. You can’t make this stuff up fast enough.
When’s the last time someone died because they didn’t know how to use one. Chances are....if you don’t know, you’re going to flee. It’s what we do.
Couldn’t they just register them?
I swear to God I am not getting enough sleep. Why? Because the sheer idiocy coming from the world’s ‘leaders’ is so incredible I don’t want to fall asleep and miss anything so friggin hilarious. Sad, pathetic and ultimately dangerous, but still hilarious in its stupidity.
"Do you know what that fire extinguisher did? It exploded in my face. I mean, what is the point of a fire extinguisher? It sits there for months, and when you actually have a fire - when you actually need the bloody thing - it blows your head off!"
Next it will be a crime if a regular peon citizen tries to use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire, rather than a government union fire fighter.
Just a hop-skip-skip-drag-trip across the street from the Ministry of Silly Walks.
And making matters worse, the most demented have risen to the positions of power.
You know, water drowns thousands of people a year. It is really DANGEROUS!! I wonder if they stop using water to extinguish fires?!
I meant before they became large.
The first and only time I ever used a fire extinguisher it was to put out a small fire in an office building. I figured it out and I believe most folks would.
Thanks for the ping!
“Fire extinguishers could be removed from communal areas in flats throughout the country because they are a safety hazard, it has emerged.”
Communication alert.
I have always thought “a flat”, in the everyday language of the U.K., is “an apartment”.
How can one apartment have a “communal” area? Is there some part of an apartment that is open to everyone else?
Maybe the education system in the U.K. is as bad as the education system in the U.S. and what the reporter meant to say was “removed from communal areas of apartment buildings” and not “removed from communal areas in flats”.
Or maybe I am simply wrong about what is and is not private in a flat in the U.K.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.