Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are rated by the class of fire they fight, and matching the agent to the hazard is the difference between stopping a fire and making the damage worse. Class A covers ordinary combustibles like wood, paper, and trash. Class B covers flammable liquids. Class C covers energized electrical equipment, where the agent has to be non-conductive. Class K covers cooking oils and fats. We stock Buckeye portable extinguishers across these fire classes, made in Kings Mountain, NC.

For flammable-liquid (Class B) hazards, see our Class B fire extinguisher guide on choosing between CO2, Purple K, and dry chemical, including the PFAS-free options.

Shop Class C clean agents: Halotron extinguishers and CO2 extinguishers are the residue-free, non-conductive options safe on energized electronics.

Class C and clean agents for electronics

A Class C rating means the agent is safe to discharge on energized electrical equipment without conducting current back to the operator. Near servers, switchgear, and electronics the agent also has to leave no residue, which is where clean agents earn their place. Halotron I and CO2 discharge, put out the fire, and leave nothing behind. ABC dry chemical is also Class C rated, but its monoammonium phosphate residue is corrosive and keeps destroying boards and drives after the flames are out, which is why it is the wrong choice in a data center or server room. For a room-by-room agent breakdown, see our fire extinguisher selection guide for server rooms and data centers. Halotron is listed under ANSI/UL 711 and CO2 under ANSI/UL 154.

Match the extinguisher to the hazard

Offices, warehouses, and mixed-occupancy spaces are served by ABC dry chemical, which covers Class A, B, and C from one cylinder. Commercial kitchens need Class K wet chemical, the only correct agent for cooking-oil fires, paired with hood suppression under NFPA 96. Vehicles and fleets use ABC units on DOT 49 CFR 393.95 compliant brackets. Large floor areas and fuel-handling zones use wheeled units for higher agent capacity and reach.

Placement, inspection, and NFPA 10

NFPA 10 governs how portable extinguishers are sized, placed, mounted, and inspected, and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157 sets the workplace requirement. Portable clean-agent units are the grab-and-go layer that complements fixed clean-agent suppression systems governed by NFPA 2001. For IT equipment rooms specifically, the standard of care is documented in NFPA 75.