How can hidden fires be identified during overhaul?

How can hidden fires be identified during overhaul?

• A. By waiting for smoke to appear
• B. Only by listening for sounds
• C. Through thorough physical checks and the use of thermal imaging to locate hot spots in concealed spaces
• D. By smelling smoke

Answer: (C)

Hidden fires can smolder long after flames seem out, tucked away in wall cavities, ceilings, voids, or insulation. The best way to find them during overhaul is to combine thorough physical checks of all suspect spaces with thermal imaging to locate hot spots in concealed areas. Visual cues like smoke or flames may be gone, and sounds or odors aren’t reliable indicators once a structure has been cooled or ventilated. Thermal imaging detects temperature differences and reveals hidden heat sources that ordinary sight cannot, guiding you to hotspots that need direct physical access, probing, and extinguishment. Use the thermal data to guide careful dismantling of materials and verification of cooling, ensuring no rekindling remains before declaring the area safe.