Which fire extinguisher for an electrical fire?

According to the Indian government, 30% of fires are of electrical origin and cost the lives of 600 to 800 people each year in India

For these reasons, it is important to know good practices in order to prevent risks and to intervene in the event of a fire. How are fires of electrical origin triggered? How to turn them off? How to use a fire extinguisher effectively?

Electrical fires

Fires in electrical installations are often rapid and very destructive. They can sometimes go off quickly, especially in kitchens and bedrooms, if the electrical connection is poorly made. They can also come on very slowly if electrical circuits are overloaded and heaters are poorly maintained .
 The main places where fires of electrical origin start:

• The kitchen : the risk of a fire starting is high, especially in the presence of a large number of electrical appliances. (Boiler, hob, oven, refrigerator, etc.)
• Cellars, garages and workshops : The place where we can usually find an electrical cabinet, a plugged-in electrical appliance charger, a dryer/washing machine.
• Heating circuits : Yes! In general, a fire can break out anywhere in your home, especially if your electric heating is defective, poorly maintained or simply incorrectly connected.

In your house or apartment, these are the most often cited for a fire outbreak. For your company, in order to prevent the flames from spreading, we can add handling equipment and machinery surges.

How do electrical fires start?

Causes of electrical fires:

• An electric arc : This is the first cause of fire of electrical origin and they generally occur in poorly maintained and dilapidated installations. Indeed, when a cable is bare or degraded, it can cause an electric arc to ignite the surrounding components (especially carbon).
• An overload : Even if it has enough sockets, we do not recommend that you plug all your devices into the same power strip. Indeed, this can generate an electrical intensity higher than its maximum capacity, which can cause the power strip to overheat and possibly catch fire.
• A short-circuit : A faulty connection can lead to contact between two electrical circuits, causing a very high and very rapid increase in current. This “overheating” can cause surrounding objects to catch fire.
• A power surge : This event can occur in two ways:
• Due to lightning: causes a rapid increase in voltage in phases causing a component of your device to burn down.
• Due to “neutral breakdown”: Occurs much slower than lightning.

A fire can start in several ways. The above causes of fire could be avoided if regular maintenance was done on your electrical equipment and networks.



The most suitable fire extinguishers

The most effective way to put out a fire from an electrical device is to use a fire extinguisher. Indeed, this pressure device is the ideal tool to prevent your equipment from smoking.
Our ranking of the most effective fire extinguishers for electrical installation firefighting:
CO2 extinguisher  : Mainly containing carbon dioxide (CO2), this extinguisher is ideal for extinguishing fires of electrical origin by cooling. It is also less harmful to health and causes little damage to your equipment.

Powder extinguisher: This very versatile extinguisher can easily replace a CO2 extinguisher, because its powder can effectively extinguish a fire by smothering. The disadvantage of the extinguishing agent is that it is very corrosive and can damage your equipment.
Please note that we strongly advise against using a water extinguisher on live electrical equipment . Indeed, water is a conductive element and allows electricity to circulate more easily. Thus, if a person is in contact with electrified water, the intensity of the current will circulate in the body more quickly and will lead to an  immediate electrification… Which can be fatal.

The use of a fire extinguisher

To be fully prepared for a fire, it is best to learn how to operate your extinguisher. For more information, read our article on how to use a fire extinguisher correctly.
If a fire breaks out:

• Take your fire extinguisher,  put it on the ground and remove the pin.
• If it is equipped with a manometer, check that the needle is positioned on the green part (the red means that your extinguisher is no longer under pressure).
• Using the handle, lift your extinguisher and  test it on the side.
• In order to extinguish the fire effectively,  aim the base of the flame  with the blunderbuss and empty your extinguisher.

A quick intervention of the extinguisher will prevent your equipment from burning completely before help arrives.