General
flashover
What does flashover mean?
The instant a room full of heated combustibles all ignite at the same time. Radiant heat from the ceiling layer cooks every surface until they hit ignition temperature together — sofa, curtains, carpet, you, everything. Survival time after flashover is measured in seconds.
"Crew bailed out the window thirty seconds before flashover took the whole living room."
Origin
Fire-service technical term. Defined by NFPA as the transition stage when radiant heat in a compartment raises every exposed surface to its ignition temperature near-simultaneously.
Frequently asked questions
What does "flashover" mean?
It's the moment everything combustible in a room ignites at once.
How do you use "flashover" in a sentence?
For example: "The crew backed out just before flashover hit the living room."
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