Fire extinguishers are the first line of defense of every residential and commercial establishment in case of any potential fire hazards.
They are the most essential fire safety devices and required at all commercial property as per the fire safety regulations. Another type of fire extinguisher is useless against some types of fire. So there are various types of fire extinguishers made to extinguish types of fires.
Understanding the classifications of fire extinguishers, based on what types of fire they can put out. Here’s a rundown of the different classes of fire extinguishers and when to use them:
Class ‘A’ Fire Extinguisher
A Class A fire extinguisher is used to fight Class ‘A’ fires (fires caused by common solid combustibles such as paper, wood, clothes). You have to take away its heat and deprive it of oxygen to extinguish a class ‘A’ fire.
Hence, the class ‘A’ fire extinguishing agents are generally pressurized water. The best way to cool down the fire source is by pressurized water. Class ‘A’ fire extinguisher is typically identified as a triangle with the letter “A” in the middle.
Class ‘B’ Fire Extinguisher
Class ‘B’ Fire extinguishers are use to put out fires belong to class ‘B’ (fire generated due to flammable and combustible liquids such as alcohol, petroleum, gasoline and so on). If there’s a fire the fire needs oxygen, and the flames need to be suffocated to ensure the fire stops burning. Because the flammable material is in liquid form, a Class ‘A’ fire extinguisher will provide no benefit.
Hence, a class ‘B’ fire extinguisher smothers the fire thoroughly with its carbon dioxide (CO2) fire-fighting agent. The class ‘B’ fire extinguisher releases cold liquid CO2, which removes the heat and eliminates its oxygen supply, extinguishing the fire. This fire extinguisher is labeled with a square symbol with the letter “B” in the symbol.
Class ‘C’ Fire Extinguisher
Class ‘C’ fire extinguishers are used to put out class ‘C’ fires (fires caused due to electrical equipment). Electrically non-conductive extinguishing agents are needed to extinguish this type of a fire. A class fire extinguisher is used for this, and it is known as class ‘C’ fire extinguisher. A typical class ‘C’ fire extinguisher comprises of non-conductive mono ammonium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate extinguishing agents.
Class ‘D’ Fire Extinguisher
Class ‘D’ fires are started due to combustible metals like magnesium, titanium, lithium, etc. These fires typically occur in commercial buildings, manufacturing facilities or laboratories that engage in the storage or processing of combustible metals. Such fires aren’t easy to put out.
They need to have a class ‘D’ fire extinguisher filled with powdered graphite or either copper-based or granular sodium chloride-based extinguishing agent. Such zealous chemical compositions can extinguish the burning metals by separating it from its oxygen supply, which is found in a class ‘D’ fire extinguisher.
Class ‘K’ Fire Extinguisher
Class ‘B’ fires are fires caused due to flammable liquids such as cooking oils, grease, and cooking equipment but these are relatively high heat fires. They are often found in commercial kitchens and are able to spread quickly.
These types of fires are not extinguishable with a class B fire extinguisher. Hence, we use a class ‘K’ extinguisher to put out the class ‘K’ kitchen fires. Type K fire extinguisher uses a wet blanket of chemical extinguishing agents. It rapidly smothers the flames beneath a blanket of foam, starving them of every trace of oxygen.
ABC fire extinguisher
This is known as an ABC fire extinguisher that can put out a combination of class A, B, or C fires. These can address multiple fire threat types depending on your facilities’ specific needs.
For more information about portable Fire Extinguishers and for fire extinguisher inspection or maintenance services, feel free to contact our Brazas Fire Experts.
Brazas Fire offers professional fire extinguisher sales, installation, inspections and maintenance across New Mexico. Also, we are experts in inspecting commercial fire protection systems for commercial businesses. We would be happy to help you with that, if you need professional fire protection inspection services.
Contact our specialists now!