Fire safety is a concerning topic that should be discussed as much as possible to create awareness among people about fire safety measures and the risks associated with fire hazards. Fire accidents are avoidable to some extent, but there is no one can be 100% sure that their establishment is fire hazard free. Fire emergencies are unforeseen, but one can prepare to manage the situation or save the place, property, and people by adopting some fire safety measures. It starts with educating people about fire hazards, types of fires, and the necessary measures to prevent them.
All commercial and residential establishments should
have a designated place for a fire extinguisher, which is easy and easily
accessible in case of fire accidents. You can buy a fire
extinguisher stand online to ensure the
proper placement of the fire extinguisher in your office or home. In this blog,
we will discuss the types of fires and the bases on which they are classified:
Class A Fires
The fire under class A fires is referred to as
common combustible fires such as paper, rubber, cloth, wood, trash, and
plastic. It is included among the common types of fires and is most often
expected to occur in commercial or residential establishments. These common
flammable substances are commonly found in homes, offices, or other commercial
spaces. Experts advise using only water-based fire extinguishers for class A
fires.
Class B Fires
Class B Fires consist of fires due to flammable
liquid or gases, including gasoline, oils, solvents, lacquers, paint, tar, and
other oil-based or artificial substances. Class B fires are riskier because
they spread quickly. They should be secured properly, or they can reflash
quickly, even after you have extinguished the flames. A dry chemical fire
extinguisher is the most suited for class B fire types.
Class C Fires
Fires caused due to living electrical equipment like
motors, wiring, controllers, data-processing panels, appliances, circuit
breakers, outlets, and more such items, are categorized under class c fires.
These fires can be caused by something as simple as a spark. They can also be
caused by a power surge or short circuit. One should never use water to put out
such fires. A multipurpose, regular carbon dioxide and halotron fire extinguisher
can be used in case of class c fires.
Class D Fires
Fires caused due to combustible substances or metals
such as sodium and magnesium are classified as class D fires. These fire
accidents are unique industrial hazards and require a special dry powder agent
to extinguish. Therefore, only dry powder fire extinguishers are recommended
for class D fires.
Class K Fires
Class K fires consist of fire accidents due to
combustible cooking materials like grease, oils, or fats that are commonly
employed in kitchens. These fires commonly occur in the food services and
restaurant industry. They can also occur in residential places. A wet chemical
extinguisher can be used to put out class K fires.
Now that you know about the type of fire
extinguishers and how they are used for different types of fires, you can make
the right decision based on the features of your residential or commercial
space and invest in appropriate fire extinguishers.
