Fire Extinguishers Help Prevent the Spread of Fires

25 September 2017

An important safety component in most homes and buildings, fire extinguishers help to put out fire hazards before they spread and cause extensive damage. Fire extinguishers are manufactured according to the type of fire that they can put out.

As a result, there are several types of fire extinguishers that are suited for different needs. Understanding more about the different types of fires and their respective fire extinguishers can help you make the right choices for your premises.

 The 6 classes of fire

There are 6 basic classes of fire, categorised in accordance with the items that they consume. The various types of fire include the following.

• Class A: fire that consumes solid materials, including wood, textiles and paper.
• Class B: fire associated with flammable liquids such as petrol, oils and diesel, which is the most hazardous type of fire because it spreads rapidly and can be difficult to extinguish if not caught early.
• Class C: fires associated with flammable gases such as propane.
• Class D: fires associated with metals
• Class E: fires associated with electricity, which occur as a result of faults in electrical equipment.
• Class F: fires that occur in areas that deal with food preparation, involving cooking oils such as fat fryers.

Types of fire extinguishers

In accordance with the 6 types of fire, there are various types of extinguishers that are often used.

Water Eextinguishers

Water extinguishers are specifically designed to fight against class A fires. Water sprayed directly on burning solid materials can slow down and prevent the spread of the fire if it is caught early. Water extinguishers dispense water as water jets, sprays and mist/fog. The different ways in which water is released determines how much area is covered and how effective the extinguisher will be against the burning items.

Foam Extinguishers

Suited for class B fires that involve flammable liquids, foam extinguishers work by spraying foam over the surface of the liquid. The foam therefore prevents flammable vapour from reaching the air and continuing to ignite. This ends up limiting the spread of the fire by preventing its access to oxygen.

Powder Extinguishers

Designed for battling class A-C fires, powder extinguishers work by releasing powder to coat the surface of burning materials. The powder itself does not ignite, thus it prevents the coated items from burning.

CO2 Extinguishers

Ideal for combating electrical fires, CO2 extinguishers are common in offices and equipment storage rooms. They work by spraying CO2 gas into the fire and cutting off its supply of air.

Other types of fire extinguishers include wet chemical extinguishers and fire blankets. These are often used on class F fires because they're effective against flammable cooking oils.