Studies show that from the time a fire starts, a person has less than four minutes to escape the overcoming effects of smoke, poisonous gases or superheated air.

A fire extinguisher is your best defense against small, contained fires that have just begun to burn. Extinguishers can control flames until the fire department arrives, and buy you enough time to get out of a burning structure.

Major Causes of Home Fires :: What's Your Type of Fire Extinguisher?

Major Causes of Home Fires

What’s Your Type of Fire Extinguisher?

Every type of extinguisher is designed to fight a certain class or classes of fire. There are four classes that are determined by the type of fuel. Learning to identify these classes will help you select the right fire extinguisher. Using the wrong type of fire extinguisher can cause a fire to spread and place you in greater danger.

Type A extinguishers fight ordinary combustibles such as burning wood, cloth, paper, rubber, upholstery and plastics.

Type B extinguishers fight flammable liquids, gases and greases such as oils, paints and gasoline.

Type C extinguishers fight energized electrical fires such as burning wires, fuse boxes, circuit breakers, machinery and appliances.

Type D extinguishers are used on fires caused by combustible metals such as magnesium, sodium, potassium and aluminum. This type of extinguisher must match the type of metal that is burning for safety and maximum effectiveness. A list of metals that match the unit's extinguishing agent should be on the label.

There are also multipurpose fire extinguishers that can be used on type A, B and C classes of fire.