Fast developing intense fires can result where large quantities of plastics or rubber are stored. Those items are classified into groups (A,B or C) withe group A being the most difficult of the potential fires to combat.


The suppression of any fire involving rubbers or plastics would be best accomplished with large volumes of water. Water based portable extinguishers must be present, and in place with standpipe and sprinkler systems specifically designed for each storage arrangement.


It is extremely important to recognize that any fire involving plastics or rubber can and will produce large amounts of toxic smoke. The entire building must be evacuated and responding firefighters must be warned of the respiratory danger.

It is critical to recognize materials of which it is not advisable to use water as an extinguishing agent. This is very important when certain chemicals are involved. For example, the application of water on quantities of aluminum powder, calcium carbide, calcium phosphide, metallic sodium and potassium, quicklime, magnesium powder, and sodium peroxide may pose a dangerous threat to occupants safety and will do nothing towards the termination of the fire.


The chemical properties of all materials must be reliably established. Certain chemicals actually have the ability to oxidize other materials. Specific chemicals that have toxic, combustible, unstable, or reactive properties must be handled within a closed system.The specific flash point of any liquid is what is used to differentiate flammable from combustible liquids. By definition, a flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapors to ignite momentarily in air. in the presence of flammable vapors, rising heat, a spark or some other sources of ignition will be enough to quickly start a blazing fire or in some cases an explosion.


A flammable liquid is any substance that is in liquid form at ordinary temperatures and possesses a flash point below 100 degrees. Gasoline is one common example of a flammable liquid. Just in U.S residential homes, there are more than 5,000 gasoline fires annually, resulting in approximately $100 million in direct property damage. Gasoline is extremely volatile and must be stored in small amounts in separate "cutoff" rooms. The smaller the containers the better. Liquid containers of five gallons or less, called safety cans, are virtually leak proof and provide a means of safely transporting the liquid. In addition, the containers:

* Contain automatically closing fill and dispense openings. * Vent excess pressures to ward against vapor explosion. * Prevent external flames from coming into contact with the liquid. * Clearly Mark the container contents. * Will bear a U.L or F.M approved designation.

All flammable liquid containers are to be kept in a remote location, within a Fire Safety Cabinet or Flammable Liquid Cabinet. designed specifically for this purpose. the containers should be marked with one of the following classifications.

Class IA: Liquids with flash points below 73 degrees and boiling points below 100 degrees.

Class IB:Liquids with flash points below 73 degrees and boiling points above 100 degrees.

Class IC:Liquids with flash points above 73 degrees and boiling points below 100 degrees. A combustible liquid has a flash point equal to or above 100 degrees.

Class II:Liquids having flash points between 100 and 140 degrees.

Class IIIA:Liquids having flash points between 140 and 200 degrees.

Class IIIB:Liquids having flash points in excess of 200 degrees.