What is fire flashover?

A flashover is the near-simultaneous ignition of most of the directly exposed combustible material in an enclosed area. When certain organic materials are heated, they undergo thermal decomposition and release flammable gases. An example of flashover is ignition of a piece of furniture in a domestic room.

Rest of the in-depth answer is here. Also question is, what causes a flashover in a fire?

FLASHOVER. Flashover by definition is “the sudden involvement of a room or an area in flames from floor to ceiling caused by thermal radiation feedback.”1 Thermal radiation feedback is the energy of the fire being radiated back to the contents of the room from the walls, floor, and ceiling.

Similarly, can a firefighter survive a flashover? Flashover is deadly because it can catch firefighters off guard, develops rapidly with warning signs that are difficult to detect, and increases firefighting risk. If a flashover occurs, those present in the room are unlikely to survive. Many of the firefighters who died in flashover were experienced firefighters.

Keeping this in view, at what stage of a fire does a flashover happen?

Flashover: Transition to a Fully Developed Fire Flashover is the sudden transition from a growth stage to fully developed fire. When flashover occurs, there is a rapid transition to a state of total surface involvement of all combustible material within the compartment.

What are the signs of a flashover?

Signs of room flashover include:

  • High heat conditions or flaming combustion overhead.
  • The existence of ghosting tongues of flame.
  • A lack of water droplets falling back to the floor following a short burst fog pattern being directed at the ceiling.