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Glite Dictionary
🔥 Sudden fire spread ⚡ Unintended discharge
flashover

flashover

1 9.4
A sudden fire in which all objects in a room ignite almost at once
  • noun
  • /ˈflæʃˌoʊvər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : flashover
  • The conditions experienced on September 11—the impact and fire involving jet fuel and instant explosive flashover of all building contents—on those floors went far beyond the conditions used as the bases of the ASTM fire test.
  • flashover in the room

Examples

  • During the simulation, the instructor demonstrated a flashover when the room's temperature rapidly increased, causing everything to ignite simultaneously.

  • In a matter of seconds, the flashover transformed the previously contained fire into a raging inferno, engulfing the entire area.

  • The firefighters knew that once they witnessed the early signs of a flashover, they had to evacuate immediately to avoid being trapped in the flames.

Synonyms

conflagration
vsflashover
14 9.6

A very large uncontrolled fire that destroys buildings and land

is the sudden simultaneous ignition of most combustibles, not just a large destructive blaze
blazing fire
vsflashover
1 2.3

A very large bright fire that burns strongly

is rapid area ignition of most combustible materials rather than single intense burning
burst of fire
vsflashover
1 5.7

A sudden strong flash of flames or energy that happens quickly

is a sudden spread causing almost all combustibles to ignite at once

How Intense

conflagration
14 9.6
flashover
  • Specialized
1 9.4
smolder
  • US
1 6.5

Surface Forms

flashover singular
flashovers plural

Morphology

flashover = flash (semi-transparent) = over + flash

The term is clearly built from 'flash' + 'over', but the specific fire-dynamics phenomenon (simultaneous ignition of combustibles) is a specialized meaning not fully derivable by a general learner. [Postprocessing: moved 'over' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

The word flashover comes from flash 'a sudden bright light' and over 'across'. So, in fires it describes the moment when flames flash across a room and many things catch fire almost at once.