Dry chemical extinguishers are most effective on Class B and Class C fires. Class B fires involve flammable liquids such as gasoline and oil, while Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment. The dry chemical agents work by interrupting the chemical reaction of the fire and can also smother the flames. However, they are not suitable for Class D fires involving combustible metals or Class K fires involving cooking oils and fats.
D and K fire
Blood is not an effective extinguishing agent for fires. Water, foam, or chemical fire extinguishers are typically used to put out fires.
A coal fire is considered a Class A fire, which involves ordinary combustible materials like wood, paper, cloth, and plastics. Class A fires can be extinguished using water, foam, or dry chemical extinguishers.
There are six classes of fires to define the type of fire, and most importantly, the type of fire extinguisher to use to put out the fire. Here are the fire classes and the types of extinguishers you should use: Class A - Solids (wood, paper, plastic) require water, foam, dry powder, and wet chemical extinguishers. Class B - Flammable liquids (fuel, oil, paraffin) require foam, dry powder, and CO2 gas extinguishers. Class C - Flammable gasses (propane, methane, butane) require dry powder extinguishers. Class D - Burning metals (aluminum, magnesium, titanium) require dry powder (M28/L2) extinguishers. Class E - Electrical items require dry powder or CO2 gas extinguishers. Class F - Cooking oils and fats require wet chemical extinguishers.
FIRE extinguishers are used to put out fire.
Class B extinguishers are used for liquid fires, typically gasoline and oil fires. Extinguishers rated ABC will be effective against all three classes, but seldom as effective as a dedicated Class B extinguisher.
Class K fire extinguishers are designed to supplement kitchen fire suppression systems.
Class K fire extinguishers are designed to supplement kitchen fire suppression systems.
It is the Class C fires that invlove electrically energized equipments, and they are suppressed using CO2 extinguishers or dry chemical extinguishers. Certainly the use of water or water-based extinguishers or other water-based suppression equipment is not to be considered.
Class C fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are rated according to the type of fires they can be used on and how much fire they can extinguish. Typical types of extinguishers include A, B, C, D, K. Ratings often include a number in addition the letters, such as 5A, 20BC, meaning five times the class A rating needed for the smallest fire and enough chemical to extinguish 20 square feet of class B fire.
Ordinary combustibles, such as wood, cloth, paper, burning liquids such as gasoline, and fires in live electrical equipment. They are not for deep fat fryers (class K) nor for combustible metals such as magnesium (Class D fire).