This guide illustrates the types of fire that each kind of fire extinguisher is suitable for. Under the old standard, the whole of the body of the extinguisher was painted the appropriate colour code to indicate its use. The new standard is BS EN3 part 5, and an extinguisher is Signal Red with a band [...] ...
Water fire extinguishers can be used for Class A fires i.e. solids only, such as wood, paper, plastics and fabrics. They are not suitable for controlling Class B liquid fires e.g. paraffin, petrol, oil-based fires, including chip pan fires, or on electrical fires and where electricity is involved unless the supply can be disconnected first. [...] ...