Consider the following statements:
- 1. CO₂ should be used to control ‘B’ type fire
- 2. Special dry chemicals can be used to control ‘B’ type fire
- 3. Foam extinguishers are less effective to control ‘B’ type fire
- 4. Steam of water should be used with caution as it may spread the ‘B’ type fire
Which of the statements given above are not correct ?
2 and 3 only
1 and 2 only
3 and 4 only
None of the above
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2023
1. CO₂ should be used to control ‘B’ type fire: Correct. CO2 extinguishers are effective on Class B fires as they displace oxygen.
2. Special dry chemicals can be used to control ‘B’ type fire: Correct. Dry chemical extinguishers (like BC or ABC) are effective on Class B fires.
3. Foam extinguishers are less effective to control ‘B’ type fire: Incorrect. Foam extinguishers are *highly* effective on Class B fires as they form a blanket to smother the fire and cool the fuel.
4. Steam of water should be used with caution as it may spread the ‘B’ type fire: While applying steam itself isn’t a standard method, applying liquid water to hot liquid fuels causes it to flash to steam, expanding rapidly and potentially spreading the burning liquid through splashing and frothing. So, using water or anything that generates steam requires caution due to the risk of spreading. However, the phrasing “steam of water” and the direct statement that *it* may spread the fire is potentially technically imprecise compared to the mechanism of liquid water causing spreading via steam formation. If interpreted strictly, using *steam* itself might not spread the fire, although it could cause other issues. In the context of standard firefighting practices, applying water in any form that causes significant steam can spread liquid fires. Given that statement 3 is definitively incorrect, statement 4 is also likely considered incorrect in this context, perhaps due to imprecise phrasing or focus on steam rather than the liquid-to-steam conversion effect.
– Applying water to hot liquid fires causes steam and can spread the fire. Statement 4 might be considered incorrect due to specific phrasing regarding “steam of water”.