- ‘It's the smoke that gets you,’ explains the Fire Officer. Good material choices can prevent this.

The fire service is dependent on being able to evacuate people quickly in the event of an emergency, but this is not always easy in practice. The choice of materials can affect the course of a fire and thus make the difference between life and death. 

It doesn't have to take more than a few minutes for a fire to develop from a small ember to a complete conflagration that fills the room with smoke. In 2024, there were more than 3,000 building fires in Norway, in which 35 people died.  
 
- ‘For those inside the burning room, it's not the flames, but the smoke that gets them,’ says fire constable Kristian Mosveen. 

Often starts in electrical installations 

Fires can often start in electrical installations, especially in operational buildings and homes. If a spark leads to a fire, there is little time to evacuate people and animals in the building. 

Mosveen has many years of experience from fire emergencies. He emphasises the importance of rapid response: ‘Before we arrive at the scene of an accident, we need to know what type of building it is and whether there are people in the building. This allows us to gain a common understanding of the situation and be able to choose tactics before we arrive.  
 
(Watch the full interview here) 

Three inhalations can be enough 

Smoke poisoning is the leading cause of death in fires, and 80 per cent of deaths are due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Among people who die with both inhalation and skin burns, three out of four deaths are due to pulmonary complications. 

- ‘You can't survive for long if you spend a lot of time in an environment with fire smoke and hazardous waste. Three inhalations of smoke can be enough to kill you. In many cases, we find that the building is filled with thick, black smoke that is not only dangerous to human life, but also obstructs visibility and makes it difficult to find both casualties and escape routes,’ says Mosveen. 

Avoid halogens 

The spread of fire, the amount of smoke and the types of gases emitted vary depending on which materials are burning. There are several fire safety requirements to choose products and materials with a reduced likelihood of fire starting, developing and spreading.  
 
- ‘Modern buildings typically contain more complex materials than older buildings, and this can be recognised by the smell of the gases they emit when they burn,’ says the fire officer. 

Synthetic materials and halogenated plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), are used in many installations and products in buildings, but should really be avoided as far as possible. 

PVC is highly flammable and creates thick black smoke, as well as hazardous fumes, which make evacuation difficult and can cause major injuries to people and buildings, as well as increasing the risk of environmental pollution.  
 
- ‘PVC and halogen-containing materials produce an acidic chlorine gas that you should not breathe,’ Mosveen emphasises. 

‘The building itself - especially electronic equipment - can also be more damaged than necessary if halogen-containing materials are used. When in contact with water, for example from extinguishing, PVC develops hydrochloric acid, which has a corrosive effect on structures, installations and equipment.  Today, in many cases there are halogen-free materials that will entail considerably less clean-up, decontamination and financial risk. 

Explore better alternatives 

When choosing materials for buildings and installations, it makes sense to prioritise solutions that produce less smoke, slower fire spread and less harmful emissions in the event of a fire.  

One example of a safer solution is Low Fire Hazard cables, which provide better fire safety by reducing smoke generation, spread and damage in the event of a fire. 

It may be worth exploring these and making conscious choices to create buildings that are safe to occupy over many years. 
 
----- 
 
Here you can read more about how halogen-free cables can make it easier to eco-label your building.
 
In addition to increased safety, fire-resistant material choices can make properties more attractive to tenants and enhance property value. They can also influence insurance terms and contribute to environmental certifications such as the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and BREEAM, which are increasingly in demand in the market.