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The Hazards of Fire Damage

By Leo Nov
Published: November 18, 2005

The two main health hazards associated with fire and smoke are burns and respiratory irritations.

Burns

Burns are classified by the severity of the injury, in particular, how deep the injury is.

• First degree burns: The sunburn-like burned area will be red, and sore to the touch, but there is no blister formation
• Second degree burns: The skin will look red, have blisters which may be intact or broken and it will be painful to the touch
• Third degree burns: Involve all the layers of the skin and may extend into deeper tissues as well. The burned area may appear blackened, white, mahogany or tan. There is no sensation of pain

Respiratory irritations

When wood, household garbage, plastic or leaves are burned, they produce smoke and release toxic gases. The smoke contains vapors and solid compounds suspended in the air.

When exposed to fire related air pollutants, you may experience eye and nose irritation along with breathing difficulty, coughing, and headaches.

People with heart disease, asthma, emphysema, or other respiratory diseases are especially sensitive to these air pollutants.

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