The idea of an electrical fire can be extremely scary because there is seldom the odor of something burning.
Another problem knows what type of fire extinguisher to use for an electrical fire.
There are five different types of fire extinguishers and each one is designed for a particular kind of fire.
Type A is used for combustibles such as cloth, wood, paper, rubber and several kinds of plastic.
The type B is used to extinguish fires involving materials such as gasoline, grease, or paints that have an oil base.
Class C is used for electrical fires that can be caused by an appliance or tool shorting out.
Type D is usually found in factories where flammable metals are used.
The last type is K and is found in places such as restaurants, kitchens or where cooking is done for large groups. However, this type of extinguisher is starting to be used by residents in their home kitchens.
In order to use an extinguisher it is best to use a method commonly known as PASS.
Pull the pin on the extinguisher, aim it at the base of the fire, squeeze the trigger and sweep it from left to right or the opposite way until the fire is extinguished. If the fire is too big, call the fire department and evacuate the building.
Never use water to attempt to extinguish an electrical fire. It is best to use and extinguisher that contains CO2 (carbon dioxide) or a dry chemical type that is marked as Class C.