Choosing The Appropriate Fire Extinguisher For Your North Prince William County Business

3/11/2025 (Permalink)

Fire extinguishers are classified based on the types of fires they are designed to combat. Here's a breakdown of the different classes of fire extinguishers:

1. Class A: Ordinary Combustibles

• Fires involving: Wood, paper, cloth, plastics, rubber, and other ordinary combustibles.
• Extinguishing Agent: Water or foam.
• Example: A house fire caused by burning paper or wood.

2. Class B: Flammable Liquids and Gases

• Fires involving: Gasoline, oil, grease, alcohol, and other flammable liquids or gases.
• Extinguishing Agent: Foam, CO2 (carbon dioxide), dry chemical agents, or dry powder.
• Example: A fire caused by gasoline or cooking oil.

3. Class C: Electrical Fires

• Fires involving: Energized electrical equipment, such as wiring, circuits, and appliances.
• Extinguishing Agent: CO2 (carbon dioxide), dry chemical agents, or dry powder. Note: Never use water.
• Example: A fire caused by a short circuit in an electrical appliance.

4. Class D: Combustible Metals

• Fires involving: Combustible metals like magnesium, titanium, potassium, sodium, and other metal alloys.
• Extinguishing Agent: Specialized dry powder (often a metal-specific extinguishing agent).
• Example: A fire in a laboratory involving a metal like magnesium.

5. Class K: Cooking Oils and Fats

• Fires involving: Cooking oils, fats, and greases (common in kitchens).
• Extinguishing Agent: Wet chemical extinguishers.
• Example: A fire from deep frying or cooking oils catching fire.

Multipurpose Fire Extinguishers:

Some fire extinguishers can handle more than one class of fire. For example:

• ABC Extinguishers: These are dry chemical extinguishers effective on Class A, B, and C fires.
• BC Extinguishers: Effective on Class B and C fires, typically used for flammable liquids and electrical fires.

Key Takeaways:

• Class A: Ordinary combustibles (wood, paper).
• Class B: Flammable liquids (gasoline, oil).
• Class C: Electrical fires.
• Class D: Combustible metals.
• Class K: Cooking oils and fats.

It's important to have the right type of extinguisher for the specific fire hazards in your environment!