Fire Hazard Comparison Test: In 2004, the Farmington Hills Fire Department in metropolitan Detroit conducted a test of how real and artificial trees react in a house fire. The artificial tree, which was advertised as “flame retardant,” did resist the flames for an amount of time, but then was engulfed in flames and projected significant heat and toxic smoke, containing hydrogen chloride gas and dioxin. Below are the before, during and after photos of the artificial tree.
Compare the above photos to those of the well-cared-for Real Tree, which remained mostly intact, as seen below:
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