Monday 26 June 2017

Sea Otter shows how aluminium burns

As we left the Braunston Historic Boat Show we saw the dreadful end result of a fire on a Sea Otter boat, just along the north Oxford Canal.
It's made of aluminium, which is good for not rusting, but which actually burns in a hot fire.

This fire, which I was told had taken place only two days previously, had evidently been very hot indeed ...

... burning the roof completely off and singeing the trees above.

In places the side of the hull has been destroyed almost down to the water line, threatening the boat's imminent sinking.

3 comments:

Bill.S said...

And they put flammable insulation between two sheets of this stuff and clad high-rise blocks with it... Curiously I've seen no comment on the burnability of Al among the Grenfell disaster commentary. It must be well known since thermit welding depends on it, albeit in powder form.

Halfie said...

Indeed, Bill.

Unknown said...

Hi Both Ali melts at about 600C while steel melts at something over 1000C. Fires in buildings, boats etc frequently exceed 1000C. Looking at the picture it would appear the seat of the fire was where it melted down to the waterline. BTW Ali does not burn at that sort of temp :) it melts and if you hunted through the result of the fire you would probably find beads of Ali.