Classes of Fires

2/16/2016 (Permalink)

Which class does this cooking fire fall into?

Not all fires are the same. They are caused by and thrive on different elements so, as a result, classes of fires came about. Classifications of fires are needed to determine how to extinguish them properly. You wouldn’t want to re-ignite or spread a fire by using the wrong type of extinguisher. Determining what class a fire is, is detrimental to using the proper equipment to extinguish it.

Class A involve ordinary combustibles such as paper, wood, plastics, cloth, trash and items that leave ash as a residue.

Class B fires are fueled by flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, propane, butane, paint and oil. Class B does not however include cooking oils or grease.

Class C are energized electrical fires which involve engines, transformers and appliances.

Class D fires are caused by combustible metals such as potassium, magnesium, titanium, sodium, and aluminum.

Class K fires are fueled by cooking oils, animal fat or grease. These normally occur in commercial kitchens.

In one of our previous blogs, you can read about the different types of extinguishers and which ones should be used for each specific class of fire.