There’s More Than One Way To Extinguish A Fire

How many different types of fire do you know of? While we might not all be trained firefighters, the majority of us know not to use water on a grease fire, but did you know that there are different fire extinguishers made specifically for different types of fires? For example, a type A extinguisher is made to extinguish fires in wood and paper and similar things. On the other hand, if there is a fire in petroleum-based products, such as gasoline and oil, you would need a type B fire extinguisher.

If the fire is started from an electrical malfunction, you would use a type C extinguisher. They are specifically made to keep you from getting electrocuted.

You will probably never need to use a type D extinguisher, since they are made for fires in combustible metals. The last type is not type E as you might expect, but instead type K since they usually are found in kitchens. These fires are in animal fats and frying oils.

You will usually find that fire extinguishers are rated for several types of fires and have those letters listed, but you should make sure that the extinguisher you have will work with the fires you might experience.