Fire Extinguisher Types and Colours UK: Which Extinguisher for Which Fire
By the DC Fire & Security engineering team — installing and maintaining fire and security systems since 2010. Updated June 2026.
Quick answer
UK extinguishers are red with a colour-coded band: red (water) for solids like wood and paper; cream (foam) for solids and flammable liquids; black (CO2) for electrical and liquids; blue (dry powder) multi-purpose but unsuitable indoors; yellow (wet chemical) for cooking oil fires. Most workplaces pair foam or water with CO2; kitchens add wet chemical.
The five types at a glance
| Band colour | Type | Use on | Never on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Water | Class A: wood, paper, textiles | Electrical, flammable liquids, cooking oil |
| Cream | Foam (AFFF) | Class A + Class B flammable liquids | Cooking oil; caution near live electrics |
| Black | CO2 | Electrical equipment, Class B liquids | Chip pans (blasts burning oil); confined-space caution |
| Blue | ABC dry powder | A, B, C (gas), vehicles, outdoor mixed risk | Enclosed indoor spaces (visibility/inhalation); post-discharge mess is severe |
| Yellow | Wet chemical | Class F cooking oils and fats (+A) | Electrical unless rated; rarely needed outside kitchens |
What a typical premises actually needs
The standard UK office/retail pairing is foam (or water) plus CO2 by each exit and alarm point — Class A cover for the general building, CO2 for electrical risk. Commercial kitchens add wet chemical within reach of the cooking line (and fire blankets). Plant rooms, vehicles and external gas storage justify powder. Sizing and placement follow BS 5306-8: typically no more than 30 metres' travel to an extinguisher, mounted visibly with signage at exits and on escape routes. Your fire risk assessment formalises the mix — overbuying powder 'because it does everything' is the classic spec error.
Maintenance and training duties
Extinguishers need a monthly visual check by the premises (gauge, seal, tamper line, position), an annual basic service by a competent technician under BS 5306-3, and extended service/refill at five years (water/foam/powder) or ten (CO2). Staff who might use one need familiarisation — the PASS drill (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) and the judgement to fight only small, escaping-route-protected fires. Fire safety law expects the means of fighting fire to be maintained and staff appropriately instructed; service labels are what inspectors read first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are fire extinguishers legally required in business premises?
Can I use a CO2 extinguisher on a chip-pan fire?
Why avoid powder indoors?
Do extinguishers expire?
Need help from a professional installer?
We install and maintain fire and security systems across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and London — with fixed written quotes, a 36-month warranty, and certification your insurer will accept.
Request a free survey
Free site visit · No obligation · Response within 24 hours