Patent ID: 7331401

Claim:
A method of fighting a fire in an enclosed space in an aircraft having at least one air flow inlet into said enclosed space and at least one air flow outlet out of said enclosed space, wherein said air flow outlet is an air outflow channel having an outwardly diminishing cross-sectional flow area, said method comprising the following steps: a) installing fireproof intumescent material next to said at least one air flow inlet, b) installing further fireproof intumescent material as a ring inside said air outflow channel, c) heating said fireproof intumescent materials by heat generated by a fire occurring in said enclosed space, and d) expanding said fireproof intumescent materials in response to said heating, whereby said diminishing cross-sectional flow area of said air outflow channel deflects expanding fireproof intumescent material at an angle inwardly, to at least partly seal said air flow inlet and said air outflow channel to substantially reduce air and oxygen access to said fire to smother said fire and to hinder propagation of said fire out of said enclosed space.