Extinguishing Different Types of Fires
January 26th 2012 -
All fires have two elements in common: heat and oxygen. What differentiates a certain type of fire is the fuel source it originates from. Different fires consume several different fuel sources, and knowing which source is fueling the fire is key to determining the type of fire extinguisher required to keep the fire from spreading or (hopefully) put it out entirely. Using the wrong fire extinguisher can spread a fire, making it crucial to understand which extinguisher needs to be used, but most fire extinguishers can be used on more than one type of fire. For example, a powder fire extinguisher using ammonium phosphate is most effective on fires originating from the most common sources: Type A (fueled by easily ignitable objects such as paper and cloth), Type B (flammable liquids like gas), and Type C (electrical fires). Another type of fire extinguisher uses baking soda, which is most effective on Type B and Type C fires.
Tags: powder fire extinguisher