Fire Extinguishers & Safety Equipment

This is a tricky question that requires looking at 2 factors: the class of fire you are likely to face, and the type of extinguisher best suited to put it out. 

These are the different classes of fires: 

1. Class A: fires involving wood, paper, textiles and fabrics

2. Class B: fires involving flammable liquids like petrol, diesel, oil, etc.

3. Class C: fires involving flammable gases like butane, methane, etc.

4. Class D: fires involving combustible metals like magnesium

5. Electrical:  fires involving electrical equipment like computers or machinery

6. Class F: fires involving cooking oil or fat

And these are the most common types of extinguishers:

1. Water

2. Hydrospray (water additive)

3. CO2 (carbon dioxide)

4. Foam

5. Powder

6. Wet chemical

Some of these extinguishers can put out multiple classes of fire, while some are designed solely for 1 type of fire. View our convenient chart to see which type of fire extinguisher would suit you best.

The most common type of fire, class A fires involve ordinary combustibles like wood, paper, fabrics and plastics. Water extinguishers are best for class A fires, though foam, powder and wet chemical extinguishers will work as well. 

Learn more about what is a class A fire.

Class B fires involve flammable liquids such as alcohol, petrol, diesel, grease or oil (but not cooking oil, which is a class F fire). Foam and powder extinguishers are most effective at putting out class B fires. Do not use water to put out a class B fire – it will make the fire spread quicker.  

Learn more about what is a class B fire. 

Class C fires involve flammable gases such as butane and propane in gas cannisters, as well as other natural gases. Only a powder fire extinguisher can put out a class C fire (but you must first make sure the gas supply is turned off). It’s advisable to wait for the fire brigade to tackle a class C fire, as they burn intensely and are highly explosive.

Learn more about what is a class C fire.

Class D fires involve combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, potassium, etc. Although one of the least common types of fire, they can spread quickly and some cannot be extinguished. Only the L2 fire extinguisher is effective at putting out class D fires.

Learn more about what is a class D fire.

Electrical fires are often mistakenly referred to as class E fires, though this category does not officially exist in the European EN3 rating system. Electrical fires are caused by electrical equipment, and the safest extinguisher to use on them is a CO2 extinguisher (it will also not keep your equipment safe). Do not use water-based products.

Learn more about what is an electrical fire.

Class F fires involve cooking oils or fat. Deep fat frying is the most common cause of class F fires. The difference between a class F fire and a class B fire (which involves flammable liquids) is the temperature at which they burn. Fire blankets and wet chemical extinguishers are the safest ways to put out class F fires. Never throw water over a class F fire, as the fire will explode and spread. 

Learn more about what is a class F fire.