Made out of hydrochloric acid, steam, and shards of volcanic glass, the gas is hazardous to anyone who breathes it. But while the mixture is dangerous, it shouldn’t put many people in danger. The noxious fumes are called “laze,” which volcano experts say is way less peaceful than it sounds.

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Unlike the ash produced by burning wood and other organic materials, volcanic ash can be dangerous. Its particles are very hard and usually have jagged edges. As a result, it can cause eye, nose, and lung irritation, as well as breathing problems.

Deaths attributed to lava flows are often due to related causes, such as explosions when lava interacts with water, the collapse of an active lava delta that forms where lava enters a body of water, asphyxiation due to accompanying toxic gases, pyroclastic flows from a collapsing dome, and lahars from meltwater.

Volcanic bombs formed when a volcano ejects viscous fragments of lava during an eruption and can be thrown many meters to kilometers from an erupting vents. They are a significant volcanic hazards, and can cause severe injuries and death to people in an eruption zone.

Volcanic bombs are a significant volcanic hazard, and can cause severe injuries and death to people in an eruption zone. Volcanic bombs are known to occasionally explode from internal gas pressure as they cool, but in most cases, most of the damage they cause is from impact, or subsequent fire damage.

Lava flows rarely kill people because they move slowly enough for people to get out of their way. If magma is thick and sticky, gases cannot escape easily. Pressure builds up until the gases escape violently and explode.

Molten rock (either magma or lava) near the atmosphere releases high-temperature volcanic gas (>400 °C).

But all lavas are not liquid; some are more viscous and flow down as honey would do. Other lavas are even thicker, and practically do not flow at all.