LUCHA CONTRA EL FUEGO | 2o Trimestre10 Epitécnica, fireproof cabinets protecting contents from flames You can never tell when a fire may break out. But you can avoid its spreading or minimize damage by equipping the workplace with the necessary elements. In February last, someone forgot to switch off an automatic heater for lab samples in the laboratory of ELEA S.A., in Buenos Aires (Argentina). The fire started during the night of a Friday, and destroyed 100% of one of the company’s research labs extending over 12,000 sq. mt. But the laboratory was equipped with a flameproof 7010 cabinet made by Epitécnica de Argentina (Epimaster S.R.L.), containing approximately 150 lt. of alcohol in glass bottles of 5 and 10 Lt. This represented about 40 MJ/m2 of fire power. This 7010 flameproof cabinet manufactured in 1999 would automatically close when temperatures reached 50°C, and was certified to DIN 12.925 standards, Category F-30, by INTI, Argentina. The insurance company reported that as the cabinet performed properly, the fire did not spread to other areas in the complex, thus avoiding major losses. Epimaster S.R.L. was also invited to make a report and experts found that, even though the cabinet was over 10 years old, the doors closed perfectly well and all crevices were properly sealed. The automatic ventilation holes had also closed and the inside of the cabinet showed no damage to shelves, fixtures or contents. Epitécnica also makes cabinets to protect printed documents that cannot be digitalized and need to be preserved due to their legal, historical or business value. The cabinets come with TSM system, a sealing, airtight mechanism that will be activated during the first minutes of a fire, protecting valuable contents from smoke, fumes and heat. 49