What kind of fires are there

By understanding what each fire class means, you can understand which fire types are a safety hazard at your business. Once you are aware of what types of fires your business may encounter, you can buy the proper extinguisher for protecting against them. Class A fires are defined as ordinary combustibles. These types are fires use commonly flammable material as their fuel source. Wood, fabric, paper, trash ,and plastics are common sources of Class A fires. This is essentially the common accidental fire encountered across several different industries.

Trash fires are one such example. Class A fires are commonly put out with water or monoammonium phosphate. 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. Class B fires are a common hazard in industries dealing with fuels, lubricants, and certain types of paint.

Smothering these types of fires to remove oxygen is a common solution as are chemical reactions that produce similar effects. Note that cooking fires have their own classification and are defined as Class K fires. Electrical fires are often fueled by motors, appliances, and electronic transformers. Electrical fires are common in industries that deal with energy or make use of heavy electrically-powered equipment.

However, electrical fires can occur on smaller scales in all businesses i. According to New Eagle Insurance , plugging too many things into an electrical outlet can start an electrical fire. Class C fires can also start due to the malfunction of faulty appliances, old wiring, and even worn-out breaker boxes. They often occur inside old homes and industrial settings, although they are possible in new buildings.

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. Some metals can be ignited. The possibility of that happening inside a home is low, but inside a laboratory or any building processing combustible metals, according to the Mundelein Fire Department , it is a real risk.

Titanium, potassium, magnesium, aluminum and sodium are flammable under the right conditions. Class D fires can occur if these previously mentioned metals are exposed to extreme heat. Moreover, they may spread and get more intense if water or foam are used on them. Only dry powder should be used to extinguish a Class D fire as powder absorbs the heat from the fire. There is a fire type that is a real hazard inside kitchens. It is called a Class K fire. Class K fires are produced when liquids such as cooking oils, animal or vegetable fats get ignited.

This type of fire might be started by old wiring in walls, frayed electrical cords, worn-out breaker boxes, or faulty appliances. Electrical fires are very common in both homes and industrial settings.

According to Strike First, the first thing you should try to do if an electrical fire starts is to disconnect the appliance or item from its power source only if it is safe to do so.

If possible, you should try to extinguish the flames using a carbon dioxide or dry powder fire extinguisher. If and when the power source is disconnected, the fire can become a different class of fire, typically Class A. Do not try to put out an electrical fire with a water or foam extinguisher, as both of those materials can conduct electricity and potentially make the situation more dangerous.

Read More: 11 tips everyone should know to stay safe, according to self-defense coaches. It takes high levels of heat to ignite most metals , which makes Class D fires pretty rare outside of laboratories and industrial settings. According to University of Massachusetts Boston's Office of Environmental Health and Safety, Class D fires are oftentimes caused by alkali metals such as potassium, magnesium, aluminum, and sodium, as these can ignite when exposed to air or water.

Although you're unlikely to face a Class D blaze in your home, the Fire Equipment Manufacturer's Association advised extinguishing these types of fires with a dry powder extinguisher only. Dry powder extinguishers work on metal fires by separating the fuel from oxygen or removing the heat element of the blaze, but foam or water extinguishers can potentially increase the intensity of the flames and cause dangerous explosions, according to Imperial Systems.

Because of the high flash point of cooking oils and fats, Class K fires often start when a pan is left unattended for too long on a stove. If possible, you'll want to turn off the heat on your cooking appliance and remove the fire from the heat source as soon as possible. Just as you shouldn't use water to try and extinguish a Class B fire, dousing a cooking oil fire with liquid is likely to create a dangerous splatter effect and spread the flames. These are mandatory in many commercial kitchens and are a good investment if you do any amount of cooking at home.

If you have any doubt at all about your ability to quickly and safely extinguish a fire, you should immediately evacuate. According to the Department of Homeland Security, it can take just 30 seconds for a small flame to turn into a major blaze. In the event of a fire, the Red Cross recommended leaving the area or building as quickly as possible after yelling to alert anyone nearby.

Always use stairs rather than elevators, stay low to the ground, and use the back of your hand to feel if closed doors are warm to the touch, as you should never open doors that do not feel cool.

Call or your local emergency number as soon as it is safe to do so. If your clothes catch on fire, the Red Cross suggests you drop to the ground and cover your face before rolling back and forth until the flames go out.

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