Fire Safety Types and Extinguishers

Types of Fires

• Class A Fire: Involves ordinary combustible materials such as wood, paper, and clothing.
• Class B Fire: Combustion of flammable liquids and vapors, including paint, oil, grease, and gasoline.
• Class C Fire: Fire involving electrical equipment, requiring specialized extinguishing methods.
• Class D Fire: Involves combustible or reactive metals like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and lithium.
• Class K Fire: Associated with high-temperature cooking oils, grease, or fats, commonly found in kitchens.

Fire Extinguishing Methods

• Class A Extinguishing: Requires water or water-based solutions to effectively cool or quench the fire.
• Class B Extinguishing: Involves blocking the source of oxygen or smothering fuels, utilizing foam, dry chemical, or carbon dioxide.
• Class C Extinguishing: Necessitates non-conducting agents to avoid electrical hazards when extinguishing fires involving electrical equipment.
• Class D Extinguishing: Requires dry powder agents or sand to handle fires involving reactive metals.
• Class K Extinguishing: Utilizes agents that prevent splashing and cool while smothering the fire, specifically designed for kitchen fires.

Extinguishers Overview

• Class A Extinguishers: Utilize soda and acid or water to effectively cool down fires involving ordinary combustibles.
• Class B Extinguishers: Use foam, dry chemical, or carbon dioxide to extinguish fires from flammable liquids.
• Class C Extinguishers: Include dry chemical (ABC), carbon dioxide (BC), halon, or other non-conducting agents.
• Class ABC Extinguishers: Multipurpose units that use dry chemical reagents effective against Class A, B, and C fires.
• Class K Extinguishers: Use potassium-based alkaline liquid specifically designed for high-temperature grease fires while also applicable for Class A, B, and C fires.