| Class A – fires involving solid materials such as wood, paper or textiles |
| Class B – fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils |
| Class C – fires involving gases |
| Class D – fires involving metals such as potassium or magnesium |
| Class E – fires involving live electrical apparatus* |
| Class F – fires involving cooking oils such as in deep-fat fryers |
* Technically ‘Class E’ doesn’t exist. Before this classification system, there was a classification of electrical fires, but since electricity itself is a cause of fire, these types of fires have been incorporated into the main classes. Once you have turned off the electricity the fire becomes the same as any other.

