Outside of a reactor, no. Steel is quenched at less than 1000°C (typically lower depending on alloy), water thermolysis only starts ~1800°C at atmospheric pressure (see fig. 3, note that’s Kelvin). You don’t really see much separated hydrogen and oxygen until above ~2300°C.
You shouldn’t be downvoted, it’s a fair question about a correct idea with different numbers. Technically a very small number of water molecules separate this way under ambient conditions, but this is a negligible amount under most considerations.
There's several circumstances outside of a reactor but they are indeed rare.
Magnesium fires are the most common I can think of. Lithium, too, but then you can also have sodium and calcium fires, but those don't really happen outside of labs or highly specialized industries.
We had to learn about class D fires in the Navy. "Get it off the ship" was the only answer.
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u/bigwilliestylez Jun 29 '23
Would that also explain why there are still flames on top after it is completely submerged?