Fires in cooking appliances that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable or animal oils and fats) are Class what?

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

Answer: (C)

This is about recognizing the fire class used for fires that involve cooking oils and fats in cooking appliances. Fats and oils burn differently from ordinary combustibles, and water or standard extinguishers can make the situation worse by splattering or spreading the fire. Class K extinguishers are specifically designed for these cooking-media fires. They use a wet chemical agent (potassium acetate) that saponifies fats, creating a soapy layer that cools the oil, blankets the fire, and prevents reignition. This specialized action makes Class K the best fit for fires involving combustible cooking media. Other classes cover different fuels or energized equipment, but they do not address the unique properties of cooking-oil fires.