When breaking tempered glass in a sliding door, where should firefighters strike?

Striking a corner of the pane is the best technique for breaking tempered glass in a sliding door because it exploits the structural weaknesses inherent to the design of tempered glass. Tempered glass is designed to withstand high levels of pressure and impact. However, when force is applied to the corners, it tends to shatter more easily due to the concentration of stress at those points. When tempered glass breaks, it shatters into small, blunt pieces rather than sharp shards, which is a safety feature, but successfully breaking it efficiently is paramount in emergency situations.

Using other areas, such as the center or edges, may not provide the same effectiveness. The center is typically the strongest part of the pane, while striking the top or bottom edges could also result in less efficient breaks or potentially hazardous situations if the glass does not break as expected. Therefore, targeting a corner ensures a higher likelihood of success while minimizing the risk of injury from sharp glass fragments.