Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are a device to extinguish or contain a fire. They can be hand-held or cart-mounted and consist of a cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent to extinguish a fire which is triggered by a handle. They work by extinguishing or hampering one or more aspects of the fire (the heat, fuel or oxygen supply). Stored pressure is the most common variety of extinguisher where the expellant (air or nitrogen) and agent are kept together. Cartridge-operated extinguishers keep the gas (usually carbon dioxide) separately until it is activated by being punctured. Other types of extinguishers include Dry Chemical, Wet Chemical, Dry Powder and Water Mist. Before choosing an extinguisher, it is crucial to understand the different classes of fire. For example, a water or foam extinguisher is ideal for ordinary combustibles but when used om flammable liquids it could cause the fire to spread. Fire extinguishers are located wherever the risk of fire is greatest, whether that is in factories, public buildings, restaurant kitchens or laboratories. Private residences are increasingly equipped with extinguishers too in order to protect property and save lives. Smaller models are also available for cars or small boats.