Electrical Fire: What Is It? And What Causes It?

Electrical Fire – Not many people know that fire extinguishers for electrical fires are not the same as extinguishers used to handle fires with other causes.

As we all know, there are many causes of fires where electrical short circuits are one of them. So, what is an electrical fire? What are the fire extinguishers that are suitable for handling them?

What is an Electrical Fire? And What Causes It?

So, an electrical fire is a fire that occurs due to a short-circuit from electrical equipment or electronic devices.

It can be due to switches, sockets, TV cables, refrigerators and the like. But, how does this happen?

The causes of electrical fires triggered by short circuits usually are: overload, manufacturing defects, loose cables, equipment that is not up to standard, and many more. 

When a short circuit occurs, sparks or smoke usually appear, causing the power to decrease or go out. The worst impact is a fire due to a spark that burns nearby equipment and devices.

An electrical short circuit that causes a fire is categorized as a Class C fire. More precisely, a fire event in which the fire arises due to problems in the installation, distribution and use of electric current. 

The majority of class C fires are small – medium scale fires that can be dealt with by portable electric fire extinguishers, but it is not uncommon for them to be larger in scale.

Also Read: “CO2 Fire Extinguisher: What Is It? How Does It Work?“

What Type of Fire Extinguisher Most Suitable for Electrical Fire?

We all certainly don’t want fires – of any kind – to happen. But, things happen, and when they do, what are the most suitable fire extinguishers for electrical fires? 

There are quite a few types of fire extinguishers on the market that are easy to obtain and operate without special skills. 

Suitable as a choice for electrical extinguishers in homes or rooms with a maximum range of 8m2. For example, dry chemical powder extinguishers and carbon dioxide extinguishers.

Here is the complete breakdown!

Also Read: “NFPA Fire Classification“

1. Dry Chemical Powder or ABC Powder Fire Extinguisher

The first one is the ABC powder or dry chemical powder, aka a light fire extinguisher with dry chemical powder as its fire extinguishing agents.

This tool releases a light chemical powder that separates the oxygen (O2) content from the fire so that it goes out quickly.

This tool can extinguish fires from various sources: class A (ordinary materials), class B (liquid fuels and gas), class C (electrical equipment fire).

This fire extinguisher can overcome electrical fires quickly and is very easy to use. In terms of price, it is also relatively cheap, although it is not recommended for use in rooms with many electronic devices. 

This is because the residue left behind is not toxic, but can cause damage to these devices. This type of fire extinguisher are more suitable for rooms such as bedrooms.

2. CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Fire Extinguisher

Next is the CO2 fire extinguisher aka carbon dioxide fire extinguisher, which is true to its name uses CO2 as its fire extinguishing agent.

The CO2 fire extinguisher works by cutting off oxygen supply in with being a fire main fuel, so it can stop the spread and/or put out the fire.

This one is suitable for handling class B and C fires – where electrical fires are included. This fire extinguisher for electrical fires has the following characteristics:

• Does not leave residue so it is suitable for rooms with many electronic devices, such as: server rooms.
• Electricity cannot strike so the short circuit will stop immediately.

There you have it! The explanation of electrical fire that you need to know about!

Knowing this might be important to get a better understanding about how to deal with this type of fire.

Other than that, did you know that a fire extinguisher is one of the things that is mandatory to be certified by the SNI certification?

Because of its important and crucial function in protecting us and the surrounding area from fire, including the electrical fire, it is no surprise that there are strict rules about the fire extinguisher that regulate its quality and safety aspects.

In fact, in Indonesia, there is not only one regulation that regulates the fire extinguisher. Well, some of them are:

• SNI 04-39:2013: Regulating the CO2 fire extinguisher
• SNI 04-38:2013: Regulating the foam fire extinguisher
• SNI 04-37:2013: Regulating the powder fire extinguisher
• SNI 03-3987-1995: Procedure for Planning, Installation of Light Fire Extinguishers for Fire Hazard Prevention in Houses and Buildings.
• SNI 03-3988-1995: Testing of Extinguishing Capability and Assessment of Light Fire Extinguishers.
• SNI 19-0180-1987: Portable Fire Extinguisher of Low Carbon Steel.