Fires involving flammable and combustible liquids require which type of fire extinguisher?

• A. Type A
• B. Type C
• C. Type B
• D. Type D

Answer: (C)

Fires involving flammable and combustible liquids require extinguishers designed for liquid fuels. These are labeled for Class B fires and are chosen because their extinguishing methods focus on stopping the fuel from reaching the flame and cooling or separating the fuel from the air. Common options for Class B include dry chemical powders, foam, and carbon dioxide; they blanket or interrupt the chemical reaction to the flame rather than relying on cooling with water.

Water-based extinguishers are not appropriate here because water can spread the flammable liquid, spreading the fire. Fires from electrical equipment need nonconductive extinguishers and the equipment should be de-energized, while metal fires require specialized agents. So, for fires caused by flammable liquids, the suitable choice is the extinguisher designed for liquid fuels.