What are Class A Class B and Class C fires?
Class A: solid materials such as wood or paper, fabric, and some plastics. Class B: liquids or gas such as alcohol, ether, gasoline, or grease. Class C: electrical failure from appliances, electronic equipment, and wiring. Class D: metallic substances such as sodium, titanium, zirconium, or magnesium.
Class A: Ordinary solid combustibles such as paper, wood, cloth and some plastics. Class B: Flammable liquids such as alcohol, ether, oil, gasoline and grease, which are best extinguished by smothering.
This pale, yellow powder can put out all three classes of fire: Class A is for trash, wood, and paper. Class B is for liquids and gases. Class C is for energized electrical sources.
According to OSHA, air pressurized water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and dry chemical are the three most common types of fire extinguishers, with wet chemical extinguishers also used often.
There are four classes of fire extinguishers – A, B, C and D – and each class can put out a different type of fire.
Class B. Class B fires involve flammable and combustible liquids such as gasoline, alcohol, oil-based paints, lacquers. Therefore, extinguishers with a B rating are designed to extinguish fires involving flammable and combustible liquids.
“A” TRASH–WOOD–PAPER
Fire extinguishers with a Class A rating are effective against fires involving paper, wood, textiles, and plastics. The primary chemical used to fight these fires is monoammonium phosphate, because of its ability to smother fires in these types of materials.
Dry Chemical Extinguishers
"DC" short for "dry chem" • "ABC" indicating that they are designed to extinguish class A,B,and C fires, or • "BC" indicating that they are designed to extinguish class B and C fires.
A Class C fire is the burning of flammable gases, which can be very dangerous and highly explosive. These include gases such as butane and propane in gas canisters, which you'd expect to find in certain building trades. You will also find these with gas camping stoves and gas barbeques.
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Fire Extinguisher Types.
Class of Fire | Description |
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Class A Fires | Fires in ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics. |
What is in a CO2 fire extinguisher?
Carbon Dioxide extinguishers are filled with non-flammable carbon dioxide gas under extreme pressure. You can recognize a CO2 extinguisher by its hard horn and lack of pressure gauge. The pressure in the cylinder is so great that when you use one of these extinguishers, bits of dry ice may shoot out the horn.
There are four classes of fires: Class A: Ordinary solid combustibles such as paper, wood, cloth and some plastics. Class B: Flammable liquids such as alcohol, ether, oil, gasoline and grease, which are best extinguished by smothering.

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5 Types of Fire Extinguishers
- Class A Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class B Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class C Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class D Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class K Fire Extinguishers.
A Class K fire extinguisher can be used to extinguish fires that are fueled by flammable liquids unique to cooking, like cooking oils and greases. NOTE: It is important to discharge the hood suppression system prior to using the Class K fire extinguisher.
Dry Chemical extinguishers: Dry chemical extinguishers are the most common and available in few types. These extinguishers will be marked for the classes they are designed to extinguish (e.g., ABC type extinguisher will put out Class A, B and C fires).
The most common types are Classes A, B and C, and the classic red fire extinguisher (ABC dry chemical) that you've probably seen in most commercial and retail businesses can handle all three types. CO2 extinguishers work primarily for Class B fires, but can also fight Class C fires.
Fire is divided into five classes (A, B, C, D, and K) that are primarily based on the fuel that is burning. This classification system helps to assess hazards and determine the most effective type of extinguishing agent.
The six main fire extinguisher types are water, foam, CO2, powder, water mist and wet chemical. Each of the different types of fire extinguisher is suitable for different fire classes. It is important that you purchase the right fire extinguisher for your needs.
What is a Class F fire? Class F fires are fires which involve cooking oil or fat. Though technically a sub-class of fires caused by flammable liquids or gases, they differ from conventional fires due to the extremely high temperatures involved.
The Class B fire is defined as one that uses a flammable liquid or gas as its fuel base. Common liquid based fuel sources include petroleum based oils and paints, kerosene, and gasoline. Flammable gases such as butane or propane are also common fuel sources in Class B fires.
What do you use on a Class B fire?
CO2: A carbon dioxide fire extinguisher works on a Class B fire by expelling CO2 to suffocate the fire, removing the oxygen necessary to keep it burning.
An ABC or Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical portable fire extinguisher is useful for Class A, B and C fires. These units can be used on wood, paper, cloth, trash, flammable liquids and energized electrical equipment. The dry chemical in the units is monoammonium phosphate.
Dry Chemical (ABC, BC and DC) Extinguishers
Dry Chemical Extinguishers come in a variety of types. You may see them labeled: "DC" short for "dry chem" "ABC" indicating that they are designed to extinguish class A, B, and C fires.
It is absolutely necessary to use a fire extinguisher that is labeled Class C in order to extinguish an energized electrical fire. This type of fire extinguisher may contain mono ammonium phosphate, potassium bicarbonate, or potassium chloride, which are all suitable for putting out this type of fire.
- Dry powder, also known as ABC powder fire extinguishers are suitable for Class C flammable gases. ...
- Water Mist fire extinguishers are extremely effective on Class A, B, C and electrical fires.
A Class C fire is a fire that involves electrical equipment, electrical appliances, or electrical wiring. They are caused by energized electrical elements, such as damaged power cors or overloaded electrical outlets. It is one of the five classes of fires, along with A, B, D, and K.
Class A fires are the most common type of fire. They are produced from common combustible materials including wood, paper, fabric, rubber, and plastic. Class A fires have relatively low ignition temperatures, and once the fuel or oxygen has been depleted, the fire will burn out.
Wood, plastic, and paper are Class A Materials. Explanation: Ordinary flammable materials like cloth, wood, paper, rubber, and many types of polymers are involved in class A fires.
Dry Powder (Class D Fires)
Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the "fire triangle." Add in the fourth element, the chemical reaction, and you actually have a fire "tetrahedron." The important thing to remember is: take any of these four things away, and you will not have a fire or the fire will be extinguished.
What Colour is CO2 extinguisher?
Black – Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Yellow – Wet Chemical.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) is a fire suppressant used to extinguish flammable liquid fires such as fuel fires. AFFF is often used in shipboard and shore facility fire suppression systems, fire fighting vehicles, and at fire training facilities.
The best and only recommended way to extinguish a Class D fire is to use a dry powder fire extinguisher. This works by smothering the fire, and therefore the oxygen within it, and also absorbing the heat contained within the fire, eventually leading to its extinction.
Class K fires can only be extinguished with Class K extinguishers, and should never be sprayed with water as this can increase the spread of the cooking liquids.
Ideally, the first step to extinguish a Class C fire is to disconnect the equipment responsible for the fire from the power source. Then, if possible, use a CO or dry powder extinguisher to put the fire out. Refrain from using water or any other chemical that may conduct electricity as it can exacerbate the flames.
The extinguishing agent in a Class C fire extinguisher must be electrically nonconductive. Both carbon dioxide and dry chemicals can be used for electrical fires. An advantage of carbon dioxide is that it leaves no residue after the fire is extinguished.
Which extinguishers are suitable for electric equipment? Traditionally, CO2 extinguishers are used for electric equipment, as the CO2 gas does not carry electricity.
It's easy to remember how to use a fire extinguisher if you can remember the acronym PASS, which stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep. Pull the pin.
Other ways to put out grease fires…
Use a class B or BC or ABC fire extinguisher. A Fire Extinguisher will release a-lot of pressure, so start at a distance away and move towards the fire, rather than up-close spraying directly on to the burning grease which could tip the pan and spread the fire.
Class B: Flammable liquids such as alcohol, ether, oil, gasoline and grease, which are best extinguished by smothering. Class C: Electrical equipment, appliances and wiring in which the use or a nonconductive extinguishing agent prevents injury from electrical shock.
What are the 5 classes of fire extinguishers?
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5 Types of Fire Extinguishers
- Class A Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class B Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class C Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class D Fire Extinguishers. ...
- Class K Fire Extinguishers.
This 3-A:40-B:C rated fire extinguisher is suitable for light manufacturing, dining area, auto showroom, parking garage and storage areas. Multipurpose Dry Chemical. ULC-rated 3-A:40-B:C. Supplied with wall hook. Suitable for use on fires common to the home and office.
Because of this, Class A fire extinguishers use water, while Class B fire extinguishers use dry chemicals (foam or powder), such as aqueous film-forming foam, multi-purpose dry chemicals such as ammonium phosphate, and halogenated agents (such as Halon 1301 and Halon 1211) or highly pressurized carbon dioxide.
Class B. Class B fires involve flammable and combustible liquids such as gasoline, alcohol, oil-based paints, lacquers. Therefore, extinguishers with a B rating are designed to extinguish fires involving flammable and combustible liquids.
A Class C fire extinguisher is used to extinguish a fire that is caused by an energized electrical element. If the source of power is removed from the fire, it no longer qualifies as a class C fire and becomes one of the other classes of fire.
A Class C fire is the burning of flammable gases, which can be very dangerous and highly explosive. These include gases such as butane and propane in gas canisters, which you'd expect to find in certain building trades. You will also find these with gas camping stoves and gas barbeques.
The six main fire extinguisher types are water, foam, CO2, powder, water mist and wet chemical. Each of the different types of fire extinguisher is suitable for different fire classes. It is important that you purchase the right fire extinguisher for your needs.
What is a Class F fire? Class F fires are fires which involve cooking oil or fat. Though technically a sub-class of fires caused by flammable liquids or gases, they differ from conventional fires due to the extremely high temperatures involved.
Every number before the A means it is as effective as 1 ¼ gallons of water. For example, 2A means the fire extinguisher is as effective as 2 ½ gallons of water, and so on. The numbers before B and C are a measure of the amount of square feet the fire extinguisher can put out.
Class ABC, ULC 3A-10BC, with wall hook. Strike First model: SF-ABC310. Recommended for use on class A fires (wood, paper, fibers) and class B fires (flammable liquids and gas). Suitable for use on live electrical equipment (class C fires). Extinguishing agent contains monoammonium phosphate (yellow powder).
What is a B1 fire extinguisher?
A B1 fire extinguisher is used to put out fires, mainly liquid fires. These liquid fires include combustible liquids such as gasoline, alcohol and oil-based plants. This is very important, as liquid fires can often be some of the most difficult to put out.
What is a Class D fire? A Class D fire is characterised by the presence of burning metals. Only certain metals are flammable and examples of combustible metals include sodium, potassium, uranium, lithium, plutonium and calcium, with the most common Class D fires involve magnesium and titanium.
Carbon Dioxide extinguishers are filled with non-flammable carbon dioxide gas under extreme pressure. You can recognize a CO2 extinguisher by its hard horn and lack of pressure gauge. The pressure in the cylinder is so great that when you use one of these extinguishers, bits of dry ice may shoot out the horn.
When fighting a Class B fire, do not use water. In many cases, water will only spread the fuel around and create more fire. To extinguish a Class B fire, you want to cut off the oxygen. You can use carbon dioxide gas to dilute the oxygen available and stop the burning.