Which statement is true about Class C fires regarding electrical equipment?

• A. Use water to cool the equipment
• B. Use foam aggressively
• C. Keep power on to avoid short circuits
• D. Shut off the power and treat as Class A or B fire

Answer: (D)

Shutting off the power is essential because live electrical current makes fire suppression dangerous. If you can safely disconnect the power, do it first. Once the circuit is de-energized, the fire is no longer driven by electricity and you can attack it like a normal Class A or Class B fire, using the appropriate non-conductive extinguishing method for the combustibles involved. Water is avoided on energized electrical equipment because it conducts electricity and can cause electrocution or spread the fire; keeping power on is risky due to potential short circuits and re-ignition. So the safest and most effective approach is to cut the power and then treat the fire as a standard stand-alone fire based on the materials burning.