Dan Brown - Digital Fortress book

[Robert J. Hansen]

markus reichelt wrote:
> Not all Freon would be converted into Phosgene and I'd guess the
> firefighters wore gas masks thus limiting the exposure (they know
> about the Freon?)

First responders -- the people in the office who rush to the fire armed
with fire extinguishers -- don't wear respiratory equipment.  This is
why data centers don't use Freon; in case of fire, it's hazardous to the
people evacuating and especially to the people who are trying to slow
the fire's spread.

In the book, several people without respiratory equipment are exposed to
large doses of Freon in a large building fire without harmful effect.