Inhalation burns occur when breathing hot air, smoke, or toxic chemical fumes, and are the leading cause of death in enclosed building fires. They can be fatal even without any visible skin burns.
Types of Inhalation Injuries:
- Upper airway injury: Laryngeal and pharyngeal swelling can cause airway obstruction within hours. Danger signs: hoarseness, singed nasal hair, soot around nose and mouth.
- Lower airway injury: Direct lung damage from smoke and chemicals causes severe breathing difficulty.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning: A colorless, odorless gas that replaces oxygen in the blood — the most dangerous poisoning type in fires.
- Cyanide poisoning: Produced from burning plastic and synthetic materials — a fast-acting poison.
Emergency Treatment:
Remove the victim from the smoke source immediately. Anyone exposed to fire in an enclosed space needs urgent medical evaluation even if they appear fine. At BEIT TARIQ Center, we immediately refer suspected inhalation cases to emergency with comprehensive follow-up afterward.