PYRENE FIRE EXTINGUISHER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2395, 26 February 1915, Page 3

PYRENE FIRE EXTINGUISHER

DEMONSTRATIONS IN WELLINGTON. The value of the Pyrene Fire Extinguisher in quelling sudden outbreaks of. tire was amply demonstrated in Wellington on Wednesday afternoon, before a large body of business and professional men. The demonstrations, wnich were undertaken for Mt. J. A. Smyth, controller in. New Zealand for .the Pyrene Manufacturing Company, New York, were made for the purpose of showing how 'Simple the preparation is to handle, and how effective it proves in all outbreaks, even of chemical and electrical nature. The first series of demonstrations took place in the yard of the Central Fire Station, and in the presence 'of Superintendent Tait, and the City Fire Brigade, as well as the gathering of business men. The first fire dealt with was a petrol blaze. Several pints of petrol were placed in a tin receptacle and ignited. Two small ejections from the Pyrene apparatus, holding one quart of liquid, were sufficient to put the blaze right out. To make the trial more'difficult several largo lumps of carbide were aded to the petrol. Carbide and petrol do not alone generate gas, but the addition of water generated, gas, and the combination was highly iuHammablc . When lit the flames Toaretl for several minutes but were quickly suppressed by a few streams of Pyrene. Tho next fire tried'was a petrol, wood, and cotto waste blaze. The box in which this started was allowed to get well alight before tho Pyrene was put on, but about half a pint of the .liquid proved effective, and every trace of fire was put out. Py- ' reno proved equally reliable in putting out a large carbide blaze, and also quenched a fire extending along about 6ft. of cotton waste and petrol. Theso demonstrations took place in a strong wind, making them more difficult. Then, on the invitation of Superintendent Tait the demonstrator tried the chemical on a coat saturated in petrol, and hung ui» inside. The blaze produced was very big, but after a few minutes it was put out by Pyrene. Later, in the Tramways Electrical Department.' an electric fire at .a switch of 500 volts was put out by a thin stream directed at the outbreak, thus showing the preparation is not a conductor of electricity. The simple manner in which the Pyrene apparatus can be handled impressed all those who saw the demonstrations, while the results gained were proof ot the valuo of the preparation. ■