Water fire extinguishers are used to extinguish class A fires, or in other words fires involving flammable solids such as paper, wood, and textile materials. They are most commonly used within environments containing combustible materials such as warehouses, textile factories, storage facilities and office spaces.
Why do firefighters use water instead of fire extinguisher?
Using water is one common method to extinguish a fire. Water extinguishes a fire by cooling, which removes heat because of water’s ability to absorb massive amounts of heat as it converts to water vapor. Without heat, the fuel cannot keep the oxidizer from reducing the fuel in order to sustain the fire.
Why water is not used in extinguisher?
Never use a water extinguisher on electrical fires or any fire involving a flammable liquid. As any science student will tell you, water conducts the current. If you spray water onto an electrical fire, inadvertently or intentionally, you risk electrocuting yourself.