Description
Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers
CO2 extinguishers are the extinguisher of choice for electrical fires, but they also work on flammable liquid (class B) fires.
This is stored in the extinguisher as a liquid, and the gas is created under pressure when the handle of the extinguisher is squeezed.
This causes the CO2 gas to emerge at great speed, which is why CO2 fire extinguishers are not recommended for chip pan fires – they could literally blast the flames into surrounding areas.
CO2 fire extinguishers should be standard issue for premises with live electrical fire risk, such as:
• Offices
• Shops
• Schools
• Hospitals