On the evening of 5 April 2014, at a building located on 122 Tomis Boulevard, Constanta Municipality, Constanta County, Romania, a restaurant with its kitchen on the ground floor and a lounge bar located on the first floor experienced a fire, one that resulted in four victims and total building destruction. An important step in the technical-scientific expertise was the investigation of the incident based on the elaboration of two fire scenarios using the Fire Dynamic Simulator (FDS) model, which observed the fire propagation, the generation of toxic gases (carbon monoxide that disoriented and intoxicated the victims, three of whom could not save themselves) depending on the location of the plausible ignition sources, and explained the destructive effects. This paper focuses on the steps required to identify the critical conditions that led to the occurrence of the unwanted event. Based on the calculations, hypothesis, and FDS simulations, the mechanism of the event occurrence was considered to be strongly related to the onsite observations and criminal file issued by the state authorities.

In the present paper, the use of programmable microprocessors to develop a computerized stand for the preparation of a mixture of flammable/toxic/explosive gases in order to obtain mixtures at concentrations in explosive range is presented. The operating principle of the stand is based on the mixing of two volumetric flows, controlled with the help of microprocessors, where gases are stored and circulated at atmospheric pressure through cylindrical injectors, driven by stepper motors so that the gas circuit does not require valves. The exit of the stand is a homogenization chamber, with agitator and sensor to confirm the desired concentration of the mixture. This automated stand eliminates mechanical, electric or pneumatic valves from the gas circuits, avoiding elements with high mechanical resistance suitable for high pressures/depressions, removing the possibility of the return of the gas flow, without sensitivity to sudden pressures variations.

Polyurethane foam (PF) is a versatile polymer widely used in various applications. By changing the composition of polyol and isocyanate, these foams can be classified into rigid polyurethane foams (PUFRs) and flexible polyurethane foams (PUFFs). The flexible polyurethane foam (PUFFs) is well known for its sound absorption capacities; nevertheless, its flammability poses significant safety hazards. The purpose of this study is to look into how flexible polyurethane foam reacts to fire, specifically its combustion properties, and the risks that come with them. The study aims to find out the rates of horizontal and vertical burning, the make-up of the reaction products, and the temperatures that build up inside the polyurethane foam mass when a support pole is placed in front of the stage and sound-absorbing material is added to stop stage sounds from reverberating. There were performed experiments to determine the fire behavior of the samples in contact with an ignition source in the form of a small flame and experiments to determine the ignition temperature of the sound-absorbing sponge, where it was found that vertical position accelerates combustion, and in practical applications, this aspect must be considered for fire prevention. To determine the combustion gases, several methods were used, namely spectrophotometric, ion chromatography, and gas-chromatographic methods. Analysis of the gases resulting from the combustion of the sound-absorbing sponge indicates the presence of dangerous toxic compounds (hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, and hydrochloric acid), which can endanger human health in the event of a fire.

On 2021, in the intensive care unit of a County Emergency Hospital where oxygen therapy treatment was applied to COVID patients, located in the municipality of Ploiesti, Prahova County, a fire occurred that resulted in the destruction by burning of the ICU room, the death of two people, and the injury of a medical professional. In order to elucidate the accelerating causes of the combustion phenomenon of materials in the ICU room, a combustion stand was designed whose atmosphere can be controlled in terms of achieving high oxygen concentrations of 40% vol., in accordance with the treatment schemes applied to the patients and with the configuration of the room and the frequency of use of the access door. In this experimental stand, a series of combustion tests of flexible polyurethane foam samples were performed, which highlighted the acceleration of combustion and the complete consumption of the mass. The purpose of this work is to explain the rapidity of the fire in a hospital ward, both with experimental methods and with the help of FDS.

While polyurethane acoustic foam is widely used in entertainment settings for sound absorption, it poses a considerable fire risk when exposed to sparks from pyrotechnic devices. Even though fountain-type pyrotechnic devices are often perceived as producing “cold sparks”, the ignition potential of a single incandescent particle remains insufficiently quantified. This study experimentally investigates the ignition capacity of a fountain-type pyrotechnic article on pyramidal polyurethane acoustic foam under controlled conditions. Three dedicated experimental configurations were developed: (i) ignition probability tests at various distances, (ii) scaled configuration tests reproducing realistic installation geometry, and (iii) high-speed visualization of single incandescent particle interaction with the foam surface. For the first two configurations, ignition probabilities of 20% and 22.2% were obtained. High-speed recordings showed two distinct interaction mechanisms: particle fragmentation and ricochet, which did not result in ignition; partial penetration with localized melting, volatile release, and gas-phase ignition when residual thermal energy (about 0.5–1 J) was retained. The results demonstrate that even isolated single incandescent particles generated under realistic conditions can initiate the combustion of polyurethane acoustic foam. These findings challenge the “cold spark” safety perception and provide quantitative evidence that particle–induced ignition represents a significant fire hazard in enclosed environments where combustible acoustic materials and pyrotechnic effects coexist. The findings in this paper have direct implications for safety regulations in entertainment venues.

Explosion/fire investigation is a procedure that involves significant resources of time and activities. The most important of the basic activities performed by the investigator/investigation team is the on-site research, which, if properly performed, allows the elaboration, foundation, and verification of hypotheses, while playing a defining role in establishing the final conclusions regarding the place of initiation and cause of the event.For these types of phenomena, the on-site investigation is hampered by the damage caused by the event, making it difficult to identify footprints or traces, or by the disruptive effects of the extinguishing products used. The investigation is carried out in the area of the outbreak as well as in all the areas where the fire spread and aims to examine the fire footprint, the set of traces, objects, and materials present in the burnt area, seen in interaction, both with each other and with the surrounding space and environment.Traditional verbal or written methods of presenting evidence or traces collected at the crime scene are no longer sufficient today, as technological advances are also evident in these areas. Important benefits include the coverage of the entire crime scene, which allows for complete and efficient documentation, using spherical or panoramic photography, or the use of spatial, three-dimensional scans.This paper aims to present the important contribution made by on-site documentation activities using SceneCam Forensic imaging scanning equipment, based on a high-resolution (HDR) image capture device capable of capturing spherical, 360° x 180° images at a resolution of up to 50 Megapixels in a single scanning operation (Spheron Cam VR).