Just ask any firefighter and they’ll tell you that magnesium fires are no joke and they can lead to some serious injuries and destruction of property. Magnesium is a combustible metal that’s becoming more and more common in our everyday lives. Typically, there is not enough magnesium in our devices to pose a threat, but when you get enough of it in one spot, accidents can happen.
That’s when magnesium fires start. Fighting these blazes is extremely difficult because you cannot use water to extinguish them. In fact, water just makes them worse. Magnesium fire burns so hot that it actually causes water molecules to break into their component elements, which can then combust.
As a demonstration, I present to you the St. Louis Fire Department trying to extinguish a magnesium blaze.
(source: Firefighter 911)
Well, that is absolutely terrifying. Now I’m doubly uncomfortable with the fact that I live so close to an industrial park.
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