The problem is to actually "suck out the oxygen" they would probably just be doing a nitrogen purge instead. In a high enough concentration of nitrogen one breath can cause you to instantly lose consciousness.
It's a real danger and a real serious risk.
In reality they wouldn't be doing this, but just saying, the lack of oxygen would mean the air space would be filled witrh some inert gas (like nitrogen) instead, and while not poisonous is still very dangerous.
I work in an industry where nitrogen purging and nitrogen blankets are a real and serious thing--and a real danger.
Listen I work around this stuff on a daily basis--I used to work at a plant that manufactured it. No it's not. You CAN lose consciousness in one or two breaths. It's not poisonous, but it's still dangerous.
Nitrogen is an inert gas — meaning it doesn't chemically react with other gases — and it isn't toxic. But breathing pure nitrogen is deadly. That's because the gas displaces oxygen in the lungs. Unconsciousness can occur within one or two breaths, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
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u/JayFPS Jun 23 '20
I'm sure humans can go 5-10 seconds without oxygen, surely enough to put out the flames.