The Atomic Energy Commission (now the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) had to approve all commercial use of radioactive elements. The technological implementations weren’t sophisticated, but using radioactive material in a consumer item was a big deal at the time. Smoke, of course, typically spreads far faster than flames, so an ionization detector is much more likely to sound the alarm in advance of the spread of flames, providing critical additional seconds or minutes for escape. Ionization detectors were a big improvement over the previous technology, which detected heat rather than smoke and typically didn’t trigger an alarm until the area where the detector was mounted was aflame.
Smoke that enters impedes the current, tripping the alarm. As the radioactive material decays, it releases energetic particles that ionize air molecules and set up a current between the charged plates. The construction of an ionization-type smoke detector involves placing a small amount of radioactive material (typically americium) in a tiny chamber between a pair of electrical plates. In the end, most of that went to its main rival, BRK. But this time, something big would come of it: Statitrol engineers immediately began devising a smoke detector that would exploit the phenomenon.Īs is so often the case with technology, the pioneer, in this case Statitrol, would not be the one to reap long-lasting commercial success. Similar phenomena had been reported as early as the 1930s. In 1963, a chain-smoking Statitrol technician exhaled cigarette smoke toward an ion generator, causing an ionization detector to spike. Pearsall founded a company called Statitrol to sell heating and ventilation equipment. Gloucester police and fire and state police attached to the State Fire Marshal's Office are investigating.Ĭity crews are still assessing the fire damage in the basement and possible smoke damage to the rest of the building.ĭepartments located in City Hall, including archives, the city assessor, the city auditor, the city clerk, the legal department, payroll, personnel, purchasing, treasurer-collector, and the mayor’s office, are closed to the public on Thursday.Īnyone who needs to conduct business with these departments is asked to contact them by email,or by using appropriate online services through the city's website.Īll other city buildings remain open, including the City Hall Annex.The race to create the modern residential smoke alarm began in earnest in the mid-1960s, not long after Duane D. The cause of the fire has not been determined. “Our City departments will be working throughout the day to reopen City Hall as quickly as possible.” “The swift response by the Fire Department prevented what could have been a devastating fire,” Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga said in a statement.
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