Can fire blankets be used on electrical fires?

How to put out an electrical fire?

To ensure that you reduce the risk of electrical fires endangering your life and the lives of those nearby, awareness and prevention are essential. However, if an electrical fire does occur, knowing how to put it out could save lives, valuable property, and other things by preventing the loss of these things.

First and foremost, the fire should only be put out if it is safe to do so after determining its source. Making sure you don’t endanger yourself or anyone else is the top priority.

You and everyone else in the area should leave right away via the safest route if the fire is already starting to spread or you do not have the necessary equipment, and then dial the fire department.

When a fire is found and it is determined that it is safe to continue, disconnect the electrical device’s power source. If this is not possible, fighting the fire can become more and more dangerous as available extinguishing options are reduced.

Maintaining a charged connection can thwart efforts to put it out, making it worse or reigniting it. Any fire needs oxygen, heat, and fuel to start, so eliminating one or more of these conditions is necessary to put out a fire.

There is frequently not much to burn inside the plug or appliance itself when an electrical appliance overheats because the fuse will blow quite quickly (due to heat). The risk is whether nearby combustibles like paper, sawdust, or cardboard (fuel) will catch fire.

Most fires need at least 16 percent oxygen content to burn, and air has about 21 percent oxygen in it. Therefore, putting out an electrical fire in its early stages can be accomplished by dousing a small fire before it spreads.

A flame-resistant fire blanket that is made to withstand high-temperature fires can snuff out the oxygen in a fire and stop it from spreading. But because they frequently need to be in close proximity to the flames, they must be used carefully.

Avoid attempting to cover the flames with a blanket that isn’t big enough. Even if a fire blanket has been put down, authorities should still be contacted because the threat may still be present.

A fire extinguisher is an essential tool for putting out any fire, but it’s crucial to use the right kind for electrical fires.

Instructions for using a fire blanket

always fix the blanket onto the wall near a potential cause of fire (washing machine, dishwasher, fridge or freezer, grill)

Use the two tapes to pull the blanket out and spread it out fully

Hold on to the tapes or grasp the corners and protect your hands behind the blanket

outdoors/in windy conditions, put one foot on the bottom of the blanket and approach the fire from downwind

when you get near the fire, stretch your arms straight out: the blanket will shield you from the flames and smoke

get as close as you can to the burning object

spread the blanket over the flames and move away, always leaving the blanket in place

go to a safe place and call 112 for help

continue putting out the fire with other first aid firefighting equipment and extinguishers if possible

tell the person to lie down on the ground, or try to push them down

grab the blanket and approach the person from the side or from the direction of head and shoulders and place the blanket over him or her

DO NOT COVER THE PERSON’S HEAD WITH THE BLANKET. FIRST PROTECT HIS OR HER AIRWAYS by sealing the neck area well. Continue sealing from the upper body down and along the sides

call 112, give immediate first aid

use water to cool the person down if possible

Step 4: Spray the Fire with a Class C Extinguisher

Make sure to use the proper extinguisher (Class C) because electrical fires are Class C fires. However, the majority of residential extinguishers are multipurpose. These are suitable for an electrical fire and are typically marked “ABC.” Before using an extinguisher on an electrical fire, make sure it is suitable for the situation.

When confronted with a fire, it can be overwhelming, but you must keep in mind how to use the extinguisher properly. To make it easier, use the acronym PASS: .

P: Pull the pin located on the extinguisher handle. It’s usually silver.

A: Aim the nozzle or hose at the source of the flames. Ensure you’re standing at the recommended distance for safety.

S: Squeeze the operating handle slowly.

S: Sweep the nozzle or the hose from left to right to put the fire out. Try to get every part of the fire. When the fire starts to subside, you can move gradually closer.

Centro Zaragoza tests the Bridgehill Fire Blanket on an electric vehicle