Housing...Inside and Out

November 26, 1999
Do You Know How To Put Out A Minor Household Blaze?

It is possible to contain a small fire in your home if you have the right piece of equipment -- namely a fire extinguisher. Before you use it, however, get everyone out of the house and call the fire department.

If the fire is small, you may be able to put it out, or at least keep damage to a minimum. Your success, however, will depend on your knowing what type of fire it is, how to operate the extinguisher and how well the extinguisher has been maintained.

It is imperative that you make sure an escape route is available in case you can't put out the fire. In other words, stay between the fire and an outside door.

Identifying the type of fire may save your home -- even your life. Fire extinguishers are designed to fight certain classes of fires. Class A fires, for instance, involve ordinary combustible materials, such as paper, wood or cloth.

Class B fires are caused by flammable liquids, gasses or grease. Examples of Class B fires would include a flash fire in a frying pan or one caused by igniting a solvent. A Class C fire is electrical in origin -- sparked by either faulty wiring or an electrical appliance.

Only the multi-purpose dry chemical type of fire extinguisher is effective against all classes of fires. The water type extinguisher can control or help to control Class A fires, while the standard dry chemical or purple K dry chemical types are efficient in fighting both Class B and Class C blazes.

The label on a fire extinguisher will tell you which class of fire it can fight. You will see the letters A, B or C preceded by a number, for example, 2A or 10B. The numbers indicate how big a fire the extinguisher can handle.

The numerical ratings are established by Underwriters' Laboratory. The code begins with one and increases by whole numbers. The higher the number, the greater the capability of the extinguisher.

When you shop for a fire extinguisher, expect to pay from $7 to $25. You might consider buying an all-purpose unit for one area of your home, say, the kitchen and a Class A extinguisher near a desk where you do a lot of paper work. Remember, though, not to keep one of these units so close to a possible fire source that you can't reach it when you need it.

Before you put the extinguisher in its place, read the operating instructions carefully so that you will know how to use it when a minor fire emergency occurs.

After a long period of time, how can you be assured that the equipment is still in good working order? Every six months hold the extinguisher upside down and close to your ear. You should be able to hear and feel the power falling. The powder has to be loose for the extinguisher to work. If you find it necessary to use the extinguisher, don't panic. Aim it at the base of the flames.

For some very minor blazes, an extinguisher may not even be necessary. For example, if the fire is in the oven, turn the oven off and close its door. The fire will soon be smothered. If there's a fire in your toaster oven, just unplug it and make sure it is closed. To put out a grease fire in a fry pan, cover the pan with the lid or throw in a few ounces of baking soda.


Written by Dr. Francis Graham (Retired)

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