Fire extinguishers

photo of fire extinguishers

All new portable fire extinguishers are now coloured red and some have a zone of colour, which indicates the contents of the extinguisher.  This colour indication appears on the front of the extinguisher and above the operating instructions.  All new portable fire extinguishers should conform to British Standards EN3 and 7863.  Look for the Kite mark or the special British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE) mark.  Older fire extinguishers on which the entire body is colour coded remain acceptable until such time as they need to be replaced.

Should a fire be discovered in its very early stages you may think that you can deal with it.  The first thing to remember is even a small fire can spread very quickly, producing smoke and fumes, which can kill in seconds.  If you are in any doubt, do not tackle the fire, no matter how small it is - get out and dial 999.

Always call the fire service, even if you have managed to put the fire out.  We will make sure that the fire has been properly extinguished.

Where to store your fire extinguisher:

  • Fire extinguishers should be located where they can be seen easily.
  • The best place is on an escape route that is near an outside door, or on the route from the living areas to an outside door, or close to any perceived fire risk.
  • Keep fire extinguishers out of the reach of children.
  • Do not place them over cookers or heaters or in places of extreme heat.

If you do tackle a fire:

  • Always put your own and other people's safety first.  Make sure everyone else is out of the building and that the fire service has been called.
  • Make sure you can escape.  Never let fire block your exit.
  • Do not move the object on fire.
  • NEVER use fire extinguishers on chip or fat pan fires.
  • Only tackle a fire if it is in its very early stages.
  • Never tackle a fire that is starting to spread or if the room is filling with smoke.
  • Keep low so that your head is beneath the level of any fumes.
  • If you cannot put the fire out or the extinguisher becomes empty, GET OUT, closing all the doors behind you as you leave the property.
  • Always maintain an extinguisher according to the manufacturer's instructions

IMPORTANT: Different extinguishers for different types of fire:

It is critical that you only attempt to extinguish a fire if you know what type of fire you are fighting and what type of extinguishers you have available.  Below are details of the seven primary types that you should read and understand before tackling any kind of fire with an extinguisher.  Remember, you should only tackle a fire yourself if it is safe for you to do so.  If in doubt, get out, stay out and call the fire service out.

Contents at a glance

Water

Colour indicator: Red.
How it works: Cools burning materials by dousing them in water.
When to use:  Use only on fires involving solid fuels such as wood, cloth, paper, plastics and coal.
DANGER:  Never use a water extinguisher on burning fat or electrical appliances, as an explosion of flames or electrocution of yourself and others may occur.
How to use:  Point the jet at the base of the flames and keep it moving across the area of the fire.  Ensure that all areas of the fire are out.

Dry powder

Colour indicator:  Blue.
How it works: Knocks down flames by firing powder at them.
When to use:  Use on grease, fats, oil, paint and petrol - but not with chip pan fires. See instead the advice on fire blankets for dealing with chip pan fires.
DANGER:  These types of extinguishers do not cool the fire very well and care should be taken that the fire doesn't re-ignite.  This also applies to smouldering material in deep-seated fires such as upholstery or bedding.  Safe on live electrical equipment but does not readily penetrate spaces inside equipment and similar care has to be taken that the fire doesn't re-ignite.
How to use:  Point the jet discharge horn at the base of the flames and with a rapid sweeping motion, drive the fire towards the fire edge until the flames are out.  If the extinguisher has a shut off control, wait until the air clears and if the flames are still visible, attack the fire again.

Multi-purpose dry powder

Colour indicator: Blue.
How it works: Knocks down flames by firing powder at them and then melts to form a skin that smothers the fire.
When to use:  Use on grease, fats, oil paint and petrol - but not with chip pan fires. See instead the advice on fire blankets for dealing with chip pan fires.  Also suitable for use on solid-fuel fires including wood, cloth, paper, plastics and coal.
DANGER:  These types of extinguishers do not cool the fire very well and care should be taken that the fire doesn't re-ignite.  This also applies to smouldering material in deep-seated fires such as upholstery or bedding.  Safe on live electrical equipment but does not readily penetrate spaces inside equipment and similar care has to be taken that the fire doesn't re-ignite.
How to use:  Point the jet discharge horn at the base of the flames and with a rapid sweeping motion, drive the fire towards the fire edge until the flames are out.  If the extinguisher has a shut off control, wait until the air clears and if the flames are still visible, attack the fire again.

Foam

Colour indicator:  Yellow.
How it works: Fires foam onto the flames, smothering them.
When to use:  To be used only on a limited number of liquid fires. Check manufacturers' instructions for suitability of use on fires involving liquids.
DANGER:  These extinguishers are water-based and as such should never be used on live electrical equipment or burning fats such as those found in chip pan fires (see instead the advice on fire blankets for dealing with chip pan fires).  We don't recommended these extinguishers for home use.
How to use:  Point the jet at the base of the flames and keep it moving across the area of fire.  Ensure that all areas of the fire are out.  Where the liquid on fire is in a container, point the jet at the inside edge of the container or on a nearby surface above the burning liquid.  Allow the foam to build up and flow across the liquid.

Aqueous film-forming foam

Colour indicator:  Yellow.
How it works: Fires foam onto the flames which then forms an extinguishing film on the surface of the burning liquid.  It also has a cooling action, with a wider extinguishing application than water on solid combustible materials.
When to use:  Use on grease, fats, oil paint and petrol - but not with chip pan fires.  See instead the advice on fire blankets for dealing with chip pan fires.  Also suitable for use on solid-fuel fires including wood, cloth, paper, plastics and coal.
DANGER:  These extinguishers are water-based and as such should never be used on live electrical equipment or burning fats such as those found in chip pan fires (see instead the advice on fire blankets for dealing with chip pan fires).
How to use:  For fires involving solids, point the jet at the base of the flames and keep it moving across the area of the fire.  Ensure that all areas of the fire are out.  For fires involving liquids, do not aim the jet straight into the liquid.  Where the liquid on fire is in a container, point the jet at the inside edge of the container or on a nearby surface above the burning liquid.  Allow the foam to build up and flow across the liquid.

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Colour indicator:  Black.
How it works: Emits carbon dioxide, which displaces the oxygen in the air, thereby suffocating the fire.
When to use:   Best for liquids such as grease, fats, oils, paint and petrol - but not with chip pan fires. See instead the advice on fire blankets for dealing with chip pan fires.  This type of extinguisher is clean, effective and safe on live electrical equipment.
DANGER:  This type of extinguisher does not cool the fire very well and you need to watch that the fire does not start up again.  Gas from CO2 extinguishers can be harmful if used in confined spaces, because it displaces oxygen in the air:  Ventilate the area as soon as the fire has been extinguished.  The gas emitted can be very cold and care should be taken when operating with bare hands to avoid 'freeze burn'.
How to use:  The discharge horn should be directed at the base of the flames and the jet kept moving across the area of the fire.

Vapourising liquid (including Halon)

Colour indicator:  Green.
How it works: Works by rapid knock down of fire by chemically inhibiting combustion.
When to use:  Use only on burning liquids, such as grease, fats, oils, paint and petrol - but not with chip pan fires.  See instead the advice on fire blankets for dealing with chip pan fires.  Not recommended for home use - see the dangers below.
DANGER:  Owing to the ozone-depleting potential of Halon, its future use and availability will be restricted to 'essential uses'.  Production and consumption of new Halon ceased in 1994.  In view of the unwelcome effects of Halons and their restricted permitted use, it is strongly recommended that alternative forms of extinguisher relevant to the proposed use be considered.
How to use:  The vaporising liquid gas is expelled in a jet that should not be aimed into burning liquids as this could spread the fire.  The discharge nozzle should therefore be aimed at the flames and kept moving across the area of the fire.