ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBABILITY OF FIRE ESCALATION AT RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES

The rail transportation of flammable liquids and liquefied petroleum gases is associated with a high risk of accidents that can escalate into cascading events, including spill fires and fireballs. This study assesses the fire hazards associated with the depressurization of a tank car carrying AI-95 gasoline in conditions where explosive substances and materials accumulate on shunting tracks. A calculation is proposed for assessing the fire escalation probability based on an analysis of the thermal impact on adjacent tank cars and expressed as the ratio of the affected area to the total projected area of the tank. The obtained results allow us to substantiate organizational and technical measures aimed at preventing the progressive spread of fire and improving fire safety on shunting and loading tracks.