What is a Class K Fire Extinguisher?

Fires that are fueled from substances such as commercial cooking oils are classified as Class K fires. These conflagrations can only be quenched through the use of a Class K fire extinguisher. It is important for businesses that have commercial kitchens that are susceptible to these kinds of fires to have the right extinguishers on hand for easy access and use. The use of more efficient cooking appliances and use of vegetable based cooking oils in commercial kitchens dictates the use of a hand portable fire extinguisher with greater fire fighting capacity and cooling effect to combat these very hot and difficult fires.

You may ask, “What is a Class K fire extinguisher?” The answer is that it is an extinguisher with the ability to use wet chemical agents in order to suppress dangerous fires resulting from the ignition of oils, grease, and animal or vegetable fats. These extinguishers can disperse wet agents to a distance of 30 feet. Class K fire extinguishers work by saponification. Saponification takes place when alkaline mixtures are applied to burning cooking oil or fat creating a soapy foam on the surface that holds in the vapors and steam and extinguishes the fire.

At Getz Fire Equipment Company, we can provide you with advice on the use of these effective extinguishers.

Similarity of Class K and Class B Fires

Class K fires are somewhat similar to Class B fires because both of these fires involve flammable liquids as the fuel source. Both types of fires can spread quickly.

Kitchen Fires

Commercial restaurant kitchens can benefit by having Class K fire extinguishers in place for emergency use. These extinguishers are useful when the kitchen has a built-in hood suppression system installed. At Getz Fire Equipment Company, in answering the question “What is a Class K fire extinguisher?”, we can provide you with information about the most effective type of extinguisher to have available at your business with respect to the potential fire threats that exist.

It’s important to understand which fire extinguisher is the most suitable to manage any potential kitchen fires you may face. For instance, fires that spread in conjunction with high cooking temperatures involving fats and oils may not be handled effectively with a Class B unit – they may require a Class K fire extinguisher.

If you’re going to apply the agent to a fire from a Class K fire extinguisher, it should be done after the suppression system has been activated and the kitchen cooking equipment has been turned off. There’s an issue involving conductivity to electricity that must be avoided with the use of these extinguishers.

Let Getz Fire help you be prepared with proper training regarding the use of Class K fire extinguishers for any potential fire emergency.