Fire Extinguisher Safety

There are four classes of fires. Below are listed the different classes of fuels for fires and types of extinguishers to be used on the fires.

• Class A fires involve ordinary combustible materials such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics. Water is used to cool or quench the burning material its ignition temperature.
• Class B fires involve flammable and combustible liquids and gases such as gasoline, oil, lacquer, paint, mineral spirits, and alcohol. The smothering or blanketing effect of oxygen exclusion is most effective for extinguishment and also helps reduce the production of additional vapors.
• Class C fires are fires involving energized electrical equipment. Household appliances, computers, transformers, and overhead transmission lines are examples. These fires can sometimes be controlled by a non-conducting extinguishing agent such as halon, dry chemical, carbon dioxide.
• Class D fire involves combustible metals such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, and potassium. These materials are particularly hazardous in their powdered form. No single agent effectively controls fires in all combustible metals. Special extinguishing agents are available.