Hello Reine --

Thanks for your e-mail -- and your compliments on our website....

Ah, the age-old fire grenade question.  Yes, I know the dilemma well and indeed it's come up on the Museum-L before.  It's also been a frequent question/discussion among the more than 200+ fire museums throughout North America that have Carbon Tetrachloride in fire extinguishers....  And while you flatteringly called me an "expert" I invite you to see my giant disclaimer at the bottom of this note.   :-)

First a little history and identification
The earliest grenade-type fire extinguishers were invented in the late 1800s.  They were designed to be thrown at the flames where the glass would break and the contents would spill out. Made of clear or colored glass, these early extinguishers usually have a fancy cut-glass, round or octagonal shaped body, and a tall neck and contained a HARMLESS salt water and brine solution.  "Harden" or "Hayward" were the most common brand names.

On the other hand, the smaller glass "light bulbed" shaped grenades such as the one you described, were made from 1920 to 1960s and they DO contain "Carbon Tetrachloride." These extinguishers were usually red in color (or with red liquid inside), and usually carried the brand names of either "Red Comet," or "Shure-Stop." Some hung on a wall or sat in a box and were designed to be thrown at the flames, while others incorporated a fuse and spring and worked much like a modern sprinkler head.  When exposed to high-heat (flames) a small piece of soft metal would melt, releasing a spring, breaking the glass, and dispersing the contents.  Also made during the 1920s through 1960s were numerous size and shaped models of metal (usually brass) fire extinguishers that also contained Carbon Tetrachloride as the firefighting agent.  The most common was the “Fyer-Fyter” brand and was a small handheld brass cylinder (somewhat like a large sausage stuffer) that had a piston-pump plunger handle on one end and a small nozzle on the other.

What should I do with them?
Questions about what do with these extinguishers (and their contents) have been raised a number of times.  Should an extinguisher be emptied? How dangerous are the contents? What should be done with them?  What happens if one breaks?

While carbon-tet *IS* classified as a HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, (and is banned from production), the primary danger is when the chemical reacts with heat/fire. Under intense heat, toxic fumes are formed that smother the flames and deprive the air of oxygen.  Carbon Tetrachlorideis is also listed as a carcinogin (cancer causing agent), so I'd avoid any prolonged exposure to the vapors and avoid any direct contact with your skin.  I have never heard of someone becoming ill because of a recent leak/spill, but I would use all due caution.

If the glass has remained intact all these years, it is my recommendation you leave it alone.  I have never found a way to “drill” and drain the contents. That's not to say it can't be done.  One poster on Musuem-L a few years ago (see below) claimed they had successfully drilled/drained one, but I am a bit sceptical.  Although carbon-tet IS indeed dangerous, my philosophy has always been to respect the extinguisher and its contents, treat it with a little caution, take some common sense steps taken to prevent accidental breakage or release, you'll be fine. 

Some of the "light bulbed shaped" glass extinguishers have a spring release mechanism that would automatically break the glass and releases the contents in case of fire. If you have one of these, you should secure/disable that spring release to prevent accidental breakage. When dealing with the (metal) fire extinguishers with carbon-tet, it is advisable to empty the contents by emptying the extinguisher outside (under the direction of your local fire department or hazardous materials team) in a WELL ventilated area.

YIKES - I broke it! -- NOW what?!
If a glass extinguisher with carbon-tet does accidentally break/leak, the “proper” response would be to leave the room and ventilate the area.  Your fire department can assist you with providing large fans to help with the ventilation process, but carbon-tet evaporates and disperses quite quickly (probably before they get there in typical two to three minute response time).  After the fumes subside, any residual liquid (and the glass fragments) can be wiped up using rubber gloves and paper towels or absorbent pads.

Again - in summary --- although carbon-tet IS indeed dangerous, if you respect the extinguisher and its contents, and with a little caution and common sense steps taken to prevent accidental breakage or release, you should be safe.

- David -
David Lewis, Curator
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
and the Fire Museum Network's Web Guy
[log in to unmask]


* DISCLAIMER -- I am not a chemist nor do I want to play one here on the Internet, (I nearly failed chemistry in High School). My comments are based on personal experience in dealing with a carbon-tet leak, talking with others, consulting with our local hazardous materials response team, culled from various posts to the Fire Museum Network Discussion Board, and common sense.

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>>> Subject:     Re: Fire Extinguishers - Haz-Mat?
>>> From:     Sally DeFauw < [log in to unmask] >
>>> Date:     Tue, 14 Jun 2005 13:32:01 -0500

>>> Anne,
>>> We had a chemist friend drill a small hole in our glass grenade.
       This was done safely.

>>> Sally DeFauw, Curator
>>> West Chicago City Museum
>>> 132 Main Street
>>> West Chicago, IL 60185
>>> (630) 231-3376

-------------------

>  From:     [log in to unmask]
>  Sent:     Tuesday, June 14, 2005 12:59 PM
>  Subject:     [MUSEUM-L] Fire Extinguishers - Haz-Mat?


>  I am hoping somebody among you knowledgeable ones will have
    had some experience with this. We recently found out that our
    glass "grenade" type fire extinguishers contain carbon tetrachloride,
    which is fairly toxic and, in high concentrations, can be fatal. We
    also have a couple of metal fire extinguishers which may contain the
    same stuff. Does anybody know whether these things can be emptied
    without being destroyed, and if so, how it can be done safely?

    Many thanks,
    Anne





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