Resume
The Spontaneous Ignition of Hays
Stolt Frank
The spontaneous ignition of hays (Heuselbstzündung) is probably the longest known, biologically or chemically induced cause of the fire as a result of a slow-running, multi-level self-heating process. The spontaneous combustion of feed has been the animal husbandry of People practiced well known. The Roman writer Columella (60 BC) and Plinius (70 AD) already recognized the danger. It is well known that hay may come in loose, non-pressed state by self-heating to ignite spontaneously. When pressed into rectangular bales of hay are missing to this day evidence-whether the hay can heat up at all to self-ignite. To note here is the high compression in large bales, which allows only a small entry of oxygen. The fire investigation after a hypothesis “spontaneous combustion” (elimination) has a very complex character. The assessment of whether it is in a fire by spontaneous combustion of crop or animal feed is, is just as dependent on external features, such as the proper sampling, if such is still possible after fighting the fire.
Keywords: spontaneous ignition of hays, a fire.