Types of Fire Extinguishers

Types of Fire Extinguishers for Different Fire Classes

You can use the types of fire extinguishers that will be appropriate for the kind of fire that you have to suppress during its early stage before it gets out of control. You have to be careful though that you are using the right fire extinguisher, as it could be dangerous to use one that does not suit the class type of the fire you are facing. For example, if you use the water fire extinguisher to try in putting out a fire that started from a malfunctioning electrical appliance, or a faulty electrical wiring, you can get killed from electrocution. Electricity, which reaches you through a water jet or spray, is of the very high voltage type that can kill people.

The following are the different types of fire extinguishers available in the market with the corresponding fire class types that they can put out:

A. Water fire extinguisher – This type of fire extinguisher is usable against Class “A” fires, which are the most common fires that can occur in any place. This fire starts because of the burning of organic materials like wood and paper and even cloth like the ordinary curtains in windows. The water-based fire extinguisher uses ordinary water, although this is compressed and released through the fire extinguisher nozzle in the form of a strong jet and has enough pressure to put out the flames of the class "A" fire. Unfortunately, this is the kind of fire also that is very destructive, sometimes burning several houses made of wood if the firefighters from the fire department arrive late. The water fire extinguisher initially used against it may not have succeeded in dousing the flames.

B. Foam fire extinguisher – This fire extinguisher is effective against Class “B” fires which start from overheated flammable liquids such as paints, paraffin, petrol oil and the other kinds of flammable liquids in industrial use by many factories. When the paints in the painting section for example, of a factory making many toys for the children, catch fire, the foam fire extinguisher, normally pre-positioned in the vicinity, can halt the growth of the fire. The foam fire extinguishers are the only types of fire extinguishers suitable for use against Class B fires.

C. The dry powder fire extinguisher is for Class “C” fires, starting from overheated flammable gases such as propane, butane and methane. One must shut off first the gas supply though, before any effective use of this type of fire extinguisher is possible.

D. Specialist powder fire extinguishers are the types of fire extinguishers that work against Class “D” fires, which involve metals such as aluminum, magnesium and titanium.

E. CO2 fire extinguisher – This is the only one among the many types of fire extinguishers that can tackle Class "E" fires, which emanate from malfunctioning electrical appliances. It is dangerous to use just any fire extinguisher type on the electrical fire because of the electrical shock one can expect from it. It is only the CO2 fire extinguisher that can handle this type of fire.

F. Wet chemical fire extinguisher. Only the wet chemical extinguishers are the types of fire extinguishers that can tackle Class “F’ fires that involve burning cooking oils and fats.

Remember to use only the types of fire extinguishers that are suitable to the class of the fire that you are subduing for your safety.