Polyvinyl chloride toxicity in fires. Hydrogen chloride toxicity in fire fighters

Polyvinyl chloride, of all the plastic polymers, has been implicated primarily in causing the most serious problem in fire fighting today because it releases hydrogen chloride gas when burning. One hundred seventy fire fighters who experienced symptoms from its toxicity have been studied from 1970 to 1975. One died. (JAMA235:393-397, 1976)