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Classes of Fire: The Facts:

Fires have been put into classifications based on what is burning, this helps determine the best way to put a fire out, and every extinguisher is based against its ability to deal with any particular class. The higher the rating the larger the fire the extinguisher can deal with.

For most premises the minimum coverage is 2 extinguishers and a 26A total rating.

The Classes of Fire are:

Class A:  Fires inflammable Carbon-Based solids e.g., Wood, Paper. Textiles

Class B: Inflammable liquids such as Petrol, Diesel, Ethanol, plus also liquefiable solids e.g. Candle Wax (turns to liquid before it burns).

Class C: Inflammable gases, these should not be put out using extinguishers, though some do have that ability. They are safely extinguished by turning off the supply, an extinguished burning gas is now a flammable gas cloud and could result in an explosion occurring.

Class D: Fires in Metals such as, Magnesium, Aluminium, these are rare and are generally confined to industrial risk.

Class E: Sometimes shown as Electrical, but doesn’t actually exist as Electricity does not burn, however extinguishers do have a symbol showing if safe to use on live Electrical risks.

Class F: Fires in Deep Fat Frying equipment, these have special extinguishers designed to overcome a very great heat that a fat will still carry if extinguished by other means.