Will water mist improve fire safety?

A research project aimed at establishing clear guidelines for the management of tunnel fires is currently under way. Using the unique Hagerbach test tunnel facility operated by Siemens Cerberus in Switzerland, the effects of water mist on the heat, smoke and carbon dioxide produced in such a fire are being studied. The initial hypothesis for this research was that water mist not only reduces heat from the fire, but also lowers the levels of carbon dioxide and smoke particles as a result of a chemical 'scrubbing' effect. The results obtained indicate that optimising the use of ventilation and water mist may have an important role to play in minimising danger to human life.