Over half of fires occur in buildings or vehicles. But only a few are killed by the flames, the majority – 95 percent of fire victims – die or get injured as a result of smoke inhalation. Smoke spreads extremely rapidly, blocking escape and rescue routes. When fire breaks out it is crucial that fire-fighters and those trapped find escape routes quickly and that is only possible with minimal smoke development. So technical insulation materials with low smoke development make a significant contribution to people’s safety in buildings. 

Fires have disastrous consequences for industry too – and smoke gases cause more damage than the flames. The damage caused by soot and corrosive gases accounts for over 50 percent of the total costs in a major fire. Not to mention the follow-up costs due to production downtime. Avoiding damage due to soot and smoke on plant and equipment is not usually a declared protection objective in industrial buildings.