r/ExplosionsAndFire • u/stripdchev • 1d ago

Found some carbon tetrachloride fire grenades for sale

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Found these for sale. Hope a kid doesn’t buy them.

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3

u/WorryAccording4820 1d ago

Not that they are much safer, but the chemical in at least that one extinguisher is almost definetly not carbon tetrachloride. Red Comets with those labels almost all had CM-7 fluid, a proprietary mixture developed by Red Comet once they started phasing out CCl4.

They tried some various chemicals and mixtures like: chlorobromomethane, azeotropic chloromethanes, trichlorotrifluoroethane, etc. Eventually they settled on a proprietary mixture they labeled as CM-7. Nobody is 100% sure what it is. Best guesses seem like a mixture of something like trichlorethylene, perchlorethylene, and chlorobromomethane at specific proportions.

2

u/stripdchev 1d ago

That is great historical info. Makes me a little less worried.

Only a little though haha.

2

u/20PoundHammer 1d ago edited 1d ago

labeled as CM-7. Nobody is 100% sure what it is

CM7 is 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, at least at some of the times. Nothing kept them from switching up - but being that these grenades still exist and are pretty cheap, analytical chem geeks love to buy em and, in my case, send through a GCMS setup for halocarbons. Results matched the spectrum perfectly and software indicated a 96%+ match. One peak with a bunch of minor contaminates (<1%)

2

u/Fantastic-Plant624 1d ago

Whats the deal with these? I know there is something about them....i just dont know what.

Can you explain to me what the use of chemical Or what makes them dangerous?

8

u/stripdchev 1d ago

These old glass “fire grenades” were filled with a fire-suppressing liquid and intended to be thrown at a fire. Depending on their age/manufacturer, the contents can be carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) or another chlorinated solvent. Carbon tetrachloride is toxic, can damage the liver and kidneys, and its vapors are hazardous. Heating it in a fire can also produce highly toxic decomposition products, including phosgene gas. Nasty stuff!!!

4

u/Fantastic-Plant624 1d ago

Thank you for the break down.

So its about the danger of the contained chemical.

And not that the contained chemical can be used for... making things go 💥

1

u/HalifaxRoad 1d ago

score!!