We all know that cotton isn't that flammable. So this product has now not only been imported while being mis-labeled; but re-called without referencing the mis-labeling. Do we need to look at all "cotton" from Pakistan or what?
Posted on 10/28/2009 8:53:37 AM PDT by Dysart
A woman died at her apartment late Tuesday after trying to shed a bathrobe that had caught fire, officials said.
A passer-by saw the woman, later identified as Linda Gadd, 58, on her balcony, on fire, said Jason Evans, spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue.
The passer-by climbed up and put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, Evans said.
But it was too late.
Firefighters were called at about 9 p.m. to the one-alarm fire at the Pavilion Town Place, 7700 W. Greenway Blvd. in north Dallas.
The neighborhood is southwest of the intersection of Lovers Lane and Dallas North Tollway and several blocks east of Dallas Love Field.
When firefighters arrived, they were met by residents who had seen flames from outside the apartment, Evens said.
(Excerpt) Read more at star-telegram.com ...
Plastic burns are terrible. You can probably safely bet that this robe wasn’t made of cotton or silk or wool. It will be some plastic or another.
The poor woman.
Wow, death in a bathrobe fire is one you don’t see often.
It’s probably safe to assume this was one of the “Chenille Robes” that was recalled last week.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09200.html
For what it’s worth, they’re made in Pakistan (where self immolation is far more acceptable) not China. So if you’re checking your robes’ “made in” tag - look for Pakistan - not China.
Thank you very much.
You know, I just bought some Sateen sheets last week— made in Pakistan. Gulp.
decent area...right next to one of US’s poshest areas
I found the directions strangely intriging: The neighborhood is southwest of the intersection of Lovers Lane and Dallas North Tollway and several blocks east of Dallas Love Field. If I read this right, once on Lovers Lane you will be required to pay a toll before reaching Love Field. Sorry about the lady.
Actually this is a better link:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10017.html
It was the expanded update of this re-call which sited 9 deaths caused by these robes catching fire. Really bad stuff.
You’re going to see more of these cases this winter with those ugly snuggle sacks or whatever they are called. They are so big and loose they will be catching fire from stoves and they sure don’t look easy to get out of.
The age of asbestos is over, all robes are flammable.
Wow, panic sucks and kills so many people. She was probably within 10 feet of a shower but it never crossed her mind as she was frantically trying to get out of the robe. If it was belted, she didn’t have a chance to get out of it before it melted to her and caused third degree burns. Very sad.
I noticed that immediately...’100% cotton’...hmmmm.
Not so.
Facts About Fabric Flammability
Natural cellulosic fibers (cotton, linen), manufactured cellulosic fibers (acetate, lyocell, and rayon), and synthetic fibers (acrylic, nylon, lastol, olefin, polyester, and spandex) can burn quickly when ignited, but they behave somewhat differently as they burn. Generally cellulosics burn with a yellow flame, light smoke, and have glowing embers - like a fire-place log, only much faster. Synthetics may catch fire quickly or shrink from the flame initially, but ultimately, they will sputter, flame, and melt to the skin or the flaming melt will drop to the floor. Wool and silk are protein fibers and are difficult to ignite.
Yea, tough to think clearly when you’re on fire. Seems like a bit more than pure panic is going on here. This is at least the 10th person that’s died this way. I’d like to get one of these re-called robes and do a you tube video of lighting on fire. (while not wearing it - of course)
The recalled robes are cotton...maybe very combustible because of the loose weave?
Women dying from their clothes catching on fire used to happen a lot more often a century ago... because of long clothing, open fires, flammable liquids (lamp oil). They weren’t wearing synthetics.
The problem has less to do with their country of manufacture than the nature of the weave of the material. Some cotton fabrics like chenille and chamois cloth as well as some velours have a nap on the surface and are more flammable than standard woven cotton. In the Seventies, I bought a made-in-USA Woolrich Chamois Coth shirt with a very high nap; the tag in the collar warned of getting too close to fires or even heat. Washing and drying raised the nap and caused all manner of cellophane and balloons to gravitate to the shirt; when a friend touched my shirt, she actually got a spark!
Eventually, Woolrich, L.L. Bean and other companies introduced lighter-weight, Portugese-made fabrics with lower nap. This fabric and its Asian-made copies are turned into shirts in countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China. L.L. Bean, as well as other companies, tests all their products so that they meet the company’s requirements.
— We all know that cotton isn’t that flammable. —
“Not so.”
Yeah, perhaps my conspiracy suspicions got ahead of me. I just don’t remember many people burning up in their T-shirts.
So to do an investigation, I took an old (100 % cotton) T-shirt and lit it. It ignited fairly easily, but then it burned very quickly. Much quicker than I expected. So it could very well be 100% cotton, and if it’s woven in a fashion that exposes a large amount of surface area to the air - I can see where it could burn VERY quickly.
This proves 1 thing definitively. The economy needs to pick up soon because I have WAY to much time on my hands !!!!
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