DSPA is to show visitors a fire knockdown tool at this year’s Fire and Rescue show.

The DSPA-5, a hand-grenade type device, has been designed for fighting fires in closed or partially ventilated environments. It is filled with aerosol gases that, once released, act to suppress fire and reduce heat.

It was deployed in the UK for the first time last December by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Firefighters used the device to tackle a ground floor flat fire.

Assistant area commander, Rob Barber, said: “Once the source of origin was located it was clear that the temperature in the compartment was very intense [We] activated the DSPA…We then withdrew from the compartment and within seconds we could hear the DSPA activating.

“It was immediately clear the effect the device was having as the colour of the smoke changed from thick black to white…it only took a small amount of water from the hose reel to completely extinguish the fire.”

The product, which is composed of potassium compounds, has been described as harmless to humans and animals and is already used in the US, Canada, and Eastern Europe.

To find out more, visit DSPA at stand M11, Harrogate International Centre, from 29-30 July.