Description

Different classes of fire

There are six different classes (or types) of fire. There are:

Class A – combustible materials caused by flammable solids such as wood, paper, and fabric.

Class B fires – flammable liquids such as petrol, turpentine or paint.

Class C fires – flammable gases: like hydrogen, butane or methane.

Class D fires – combustible metals, including chemicals such as magnesium, aluminium or potassium.

Electrical fires – electrical equipment: once the electrical item is removed, the fire changes class.

Class F fires – cooking oils and fats (typically a chip pan fire).

Each type fire requires a specific type of fire extinguisher to put it off or a combination fire fighting equipment.

Some of these fire fighting equipment include:

1. Fire blanket: Fire blanket is a simple fire extinguishing device manufactured in flame proof materials, typically glass wool. Fire blankets provide additional fire safety to your fire extinguishers mainly in a kitchen or catering environment. Most commonly they are used to extinguish small contained fires such as chip pan fires in a kitchen, paper fires in the office, barbeques and engine compartment fires. The larger sizes can also be used as a body wrap, ideal for children and young adults for safe evacuation.
2. A fire hose reel is a cylindrical fire-fighting equipment usually fixed on walls used to hold reels that hold high pressure water for fighting fires in their early stages in a building. Hose Reels are suitable for Class A fires: Paper, Textiles, Wood, Most Plastics and Rubber.