Why do firefighters cut holes in the roof and break windows in buildings on fire?
When there is fire in a building the heat, smoke and other products of combustion rise and become trapped in the upper most areas of the building, such as the attic. The temperatures in these areas can reach and exceed 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This creates an extremely dangerous atmosphere inside the building for firefighters attempting to enter the building with hose-lines to extinguish the fire. The most efficient way to ventilate a building is to open it at the highest point to release the heat and trapped gases. Breaking the windows is the quickest way to release heat and trapped gases in the fire area and provide an opening through which the advancing fire hose can push the remaining heat, smoke and other gases out of the building.
