PROPAGATION OF FIRES IN BUILDINGS VOIDS (literary review based on abstract journal series “Fire Safety” from 1982 to 2012)

Analytical review of articles, based on abstract journal “Fire Safety” from 1982 to 2012, concerning the hidden propagation of fire in the cavities of buildings have been made. The hidden propagation of fire causes delayed discovery of fire, great financial losses and casualties. According submitted materials it is clear that hidden propagation of fire in the cavities of structures is possible both in old and new buildings. Feature of the old buildings is the presence of a large percentage of historic buildings, which can not meet the fire protection requirements without changing the historical image, but in the process of extinction it is required to minimize the damage. So the most important is the implementation of measures of fire safety conditions. In cases of successful fire fighting it is essential to have a preconceived plan fire, taking into account the location of voids in the building. Among the factors contributing to the spread of fire on the voids have shown trends of accumulation of combustible materials in the cavities, the use of combustible insulation, arrangement of interconnected voids. Among the trends of development of the regulatory requirements of developed countries (the UK and the U. S.) there is the allocation of fire protection requirements to historic buildings.