Smoke toxicity of residential home contents

Research following the Grenfell Inquiry compares smoke toxicity from building contents to construction materials. This literature analysis paper aims to complement the Hadden report on smoke toxicity from construction materials (see above) by analysing published studies on smoke toxicity from household furnishings. The conclusions underline the importance of ventilation conditions, fuel load and materials burning. Plastic materials, estimated to be around 30% of mass of residential furnishings, contribute significantly to HCN emissions, with polyurethane “accounting for a disproportionately high yield”. Wood and cellulosic materials are primarily responsible for carbon monoxide emissions. The report suggests further research should concentrate on adjusting toxic gas emission estimates to real-life fire conditions, interactions between different materials in fires and effects of ventilation (oxygen availability or limitation).

“Assessing the toxic concentration of fire smoke from the contents of residential spaces”, M. Spearpoint and Y. Kanellopoulos, Interflam July 2025 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/393401518_Assessing_the_toxic_contribution_of_fire_smoke_from_the_contents_of_residential_spaces