How to extinguish ethanol fire?

[Guest KarenSte]

Hello - I'd like to know what type of extinguisher I should purchase that could handle an accidental ethanol fire. I know fireplace units using ethanol burners come with a lid to close off the fire, but I'd feel more comfortable knowing I had an extinguisher on hand in case an lit ethanol accidentally escaped the unit.

Thank you
Karen

[Shawn Bosworth]

Hi,

To fight an ethanol fire you would require an AR-AFFF (Alcohol-Resistant Aqueous Film Forming Foam) fire extinguisher. Standard AFFF foam cannot tackle ethanol fires because the alcohol breaks the foam down and prevents it from creating a blanket over the liquid. The alcohol-resistant polymer in AR-AFFF stops this from happening and allows the foam to form a blanket, cooling and starving the fire of oxygen.

Hope this helps,

Shawn

[Guest russell dunham]

Hi, presumably though that for the quantities of bioethanol fuel envisaged by Karen (e.g. small quantity of 1 to 2 litres in a domestic / light commercial environment, rather than on an industrial scale) that ABC dry powder would be a viable alternative?

I have not, incidentally, seen AR-AFFF extinguishers typically available for sale to the domestic market.

Also, would a Water MIST extinguisher also be a viable option for this type of risk (again for a small quantity bioethanol fire as above)?

Thank you

Russell

[Tom Sutton]

Latest from BS 5306-8, the discharge of a powder extinguisher can cause a sudden reduction of visibility, which could temporarily jeopardize escape, rescue or other emergency action. For this reason water-based extinguishers should ideally be specified for use indoors so I think this rules out ABC dry powder.

However water mist maybe an answer because it has a class B rating and water is miscible with alcohol, but if there is any electricity involved I would isolate the supply before extinguishing the fire, despite the claims for the water mist extinguisher. It would be interesting to see how it would behave in such a situation maybe SafeLincs could help out here?

[Shawn Bosworth]

I have had confirmation from the manufacturer (Jewel Saffire) that that water mist extinguishers are suitable for use on alcohol based fires.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Shawn

[Porong]

I would argue if alcohol burns and you cannot see the flames how would you make sure its out?

[AnthonyB]

With difficulty sometimes, you can find lots of video footage online of US Motorsport fires, some of the race types involve cars using a high alcohol content fuel and fires can be difficult to see - usually liberal amounts of dry powder are discharged all over the spill scene and vehicle with copious amounts of Cold Fire tipped over people and vehicles from buckets and converted water extinguishers just to make sure.

[Guest Finella]

Just want to raise awareness as we jylust had a bio ethanol fire, destroyed a gazebo panel while I was trying to get the flames off my daughters legs, thankfully got her joggies off her and she's OK, but I never knew how to put the flames out, we are safe but why is the H&S part of putting spillage of this liquid out not splashed on the packaging, or the plastic bottles.  Thank fully only minor damage  to tent, but plastic rattan table was on fire and we could not get it out everything we did to extinguish the flames only put that item on fire,  after a few minutes it burned itself out but oh my god it was scary.  I have no intention of ever using it again but I still want an Alcohol Resistant Fire extinguisher in my home but I can't find any to purchase, can anyone help? 

[green-foam]

You need a watermist extinguisher (as mention by Shawn 3 posts above yours.) Safelincs can supply water mist extinguishers, Click here

[AnthonyB]

Powder, whilst messy will put out ethanol fires as will CO2. Water Mist is also suitable, but only on very small fires as it has a small rating.Alcohol Resistant Foam extinguishers are available, but rather expensive and only in big sizes..

[Guest Elaine Talbot]

I would just like to make people aware how dangerous these fires are. We had one fitted last week in our lounge and it came as a whole unit with the metal surround etc. I read all the guidelines on how to use it safely and this evening my husband lit it but must have dropped some of the ethanol outside of the container and it went straight up. Spread to the carpet in seconds and the carpet was actually on fire. We managed to put it out with wet towels but it was extremely scary and the arm of my husbands jumper set fire whilst he was trying to extinguish it. I dread to think what would have happened if I wasn’t stood in the kitchen with tea towels at hand. Please please do not put these in your home 

[Crusher]

Whilst AR-AFFF is effective in extinguishing ethanol fires, it has been tested with the ethanol in a bund/pool/tray, only then will it be able to form an effective blanket over the liquid. Otherwise the liquid runs out from under the foam. Dry powder is the extinguisher of choice for running liquid fires. That's what you'll find them at petrol stations, next to the sand.