Which fire extinguisher is appropriate for kitchen grease fires?

Which fire extinguisher is appropriate for kitchen grease fires?

• A. Class A
• B. Class B
• C. Class C
• D. Class K

Answer: (D)

Fires from cooking fats require an extinguisher that can neutralize the fat itself, not just the surrounding flames. A wet chemical extinguisher labeled Class K uses an agent that saponifies fats, turning the oil into a soapy layer that cools the surface and creates a barrier to oxygen, helping prevent reignition. This targeted action makes it the best choice for kitchen grease fires, especially in environments with cooking oils. Other extinguishers aren’t suited: those for ordinary combustibles handle wood and paper, extinguishers for flammable liquids address oils in a way that doesn’t neutralize fats, and extinguishers for electrical fires aren’t appropriate when the fire involves cooking media. So the pertinent option for kitchen grease fires is Class K.

Fires from cooking fats require an extinguisher that can neutralize the fat itself, not just the surrounding flames. A wet chemical extinguisher labeled Class K uses an agent that saponifies fats, turning the oil into a soapy layer that cools the surface and creates a barrier to oxygen, helping prevent reignition. This targeted action makes it the best choice for kitchen grease fires, especially in environments with cooking oils. Other extinguishers aren’t suited: those for ordinary combustibles handle wood and paper, extinguishers for flammable liquids address oils in a way that doesn’t neutralize fats, and extinguishers for electrical fires aren’t appropriate when the fire involves cooking media. So the pertinent option for kitchen grease fires is Class K.