ABSTRACT
However effective containment is in limiting the spread of a fire, eventually the fire must be extinguished. In Chapter 1 the “triangle of fire” was described, and it was explained how the removal of any of the three elements (heat, fuel or oxygen) would terminate the chemical reaction, so extinguishing the fire. In the open a fire may be left to burn itself out (uses up all the fuel), but in a building, even after the occupants have escaped, the fire must be extinguished to prevent the eventual total destruction of the property. The most common extinguishing agents are water, foam, carbon dioxide and dry powder (Table 6.1). The suitability of extinguishing media for different fires https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">
Fires in solids
Electrical fires
Fires in liquids
Fires in gases
Water
Excellent
No
No
No
Foam
Good
No
Excellent
No
Carbon dioxide
Poor
Good
Good
Good
Powder
Poor
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
