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715 Electrical Safety for Technicians and Supervisors
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Extinguishing the Fire

Defective or misused electrical equipment is a major cause of electrical fires.

Fire Extinguisher Training - PASS

Different types of fire extinguishers are designed to fight different types of fire.

The following table provides information regarding the type of fire and which fire extinguisher should be used.

Infographic of fire classification Infographic of fire classification Infographic of fire classification

There are five types or classes of fire extinguishers. Each class extinguishes specific types of fires. The table shows the two types of labels for each class of extinguisher, the types of fires they each fight, and a description of the chemicals each class uses.

If there is a small electrical fire, be sure to use only a Class C or multipurpose (ABC) fire extinguisher, or you might make the problem worse.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

3-4. Which class of fire extinguisher would you use to extinguish a small electrical fire?