Interesting, brings back memories of disarming those systems in the sealed rooms in which equipment I maintained was housed.... I am NO scientist, but I suspect it is the chemical reaction within the battery that causes heat build up, and I thought the flames were generated as the result of that heat setting fire to external combustible materials set alight by the heat...? Thus Co2 will put out flames due to supressing oxygen available, it may not halt the chemical process producing heat...?
More than happy to be informed I have got that entirely wrong... again..(-:
The sites in RSA were for the South African Air Force as we were the Aircraft Navigational Aid Suppliers and maintained and ran the sites which were blast proof hence no windows just a few armoured glass bricks at ceiling level.
I was reminded of this
Neatishead tragedy , at the time I had a Saturday job as a youngster and one of the chaps I worked with was a part time fireman with Norwich Fire Station who were called upon to this tragedy and his description was the most harrowing I've heard as it was all underground in the pitch black and he lost three colleagues.