22 Jul 2013

If you have never come across it, you may think it is just a small plastic ball that children can play with.

A closer look at it, one realises that it is not just a ball because it is a little heavier and does not bounce when dropped. This is a new product on the market; a fire ball. It has been called such because of its ability to extinguish fire within the blink of an eye, and of course, all types of fires.

Unlike a fire extinguisher which is operated, fire ball is a self-activating portable device that activates when in contact with open flames within three to 10 seconds. When it gets in contact with fire, it emits a loud bang and disperses a dry chemical powder of mono-ammonium phosphate that effectively extinguishes the flames.

Its distributor, Mrs Malebogo Pono said in an interview that the device can be mounted on walls or rolled to put out fires caused by electrical shortages, fires in vehicles and factories. Mrs Pono added that the product comes at a time when some business owners have lost millions in property over ravaging infernos. Not only that, some people have lost their lives trying to put out fire in the past years, particularly veldt fires.

She said fire ball was a must-have device in homes, businesses, churches, schools and public transport. Because of its light weight of 1.3kg, it makes it easy to handle and operate therefore children can also use it unlike the usual fire extinguisher which is heavy to carry and required skill to operate . She argued that the fire extinguisher put people’s lives at a high risk of catching fire or getting poisoned by fire because it required them to get closer to the fire they're trying to put it out.

Unlike the fire extinguisher, she said the fire ball did not pose any danger as the user can stand far away in a safe position and roll the ball to the fire base. “You don’t have to get closer to the fire, you can simply roll it from a distance thus eliminating the chance of fire related injuries,” she said.

The fire ball, despite a market price of P1 800, is a cost effective device with a five-year lifespan thus did not require regular maintenance unlike the fire extinguisher thus saving organisations and individuals regular maintenance costs. ENDS