History Of The Fire Extinguisher
Who Invented The Fire Extinguisher?

How To purchase Fire Extinguishers (UK Only)

If you are interested in purchasing fire extinguishers or any other type of fire safety equipment, I can recommend Screwfix, who offer a wide range of equipment at very competitive prices, with next day delivery.

They have over thirty years experience and are one of the largest and most reliable suppliers in the UK. You can view their workplace safety equipment page here.

See Also Main Fire Extinguisher Page

Water Fire Extinguishers

Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers

Halon Fire Extinguishers

Fire Extinguisher Ratings

How To Use A Fire Extinguisher

History of the fire extinguisher

Portable fire extinguishers can be found everywhere today, and are regarded as an essential part of fire safety. Their importance is such that governments have legislated to make all places of employment provide fire extinguishers or risk being prosecuted. But who invented these clever devices and how have they developed over the years?

History of the fire extinguisher - Who Invented the First Fire Extinguisher?

The first equivalent of the modern day portable fire extinguisher was invented by in England by George Manby in 1813, though a type of 'automatic' fire fighting device was first invented by the chemist Ambrose Godfrey much earlier in 1723. Godfrey's device was an intriguing system involving the scattering of a liquid by a small explosion. The principle was that if a fire started, it would ignite one of a series of fuses which in turn detonated a charge of gunpowder inside a container full of the liquid. The liquid was then blown out of its container and scattered around the area, suppressing the flames.

Manby's portable device was the real breakthrough in terms of what we now understand as a fire extinguisher. He called his invention an 'Extincteur' and it was essentially a container made of copper, which held three gallons of a solution of potassium carbonate contained by compressed air. This is the essential principle behind most modern fire extinguishers.

George Manby also invented the 'Manby Mortar' which was designed to fire rescue lines from shore to ships in distress, and he was the first person to advocate the provision of a national fire brigade. Other achievements were the invention of a device that allowed people to jump safely from burning buildings and a mechanism for rescuing people who had fallen through ice.

History of the fire extinguisher - Who Invented the First soda-acid Fire Extinguisher

The person who invented the first 'soda-acid' fire extinguisher was Francois Carlier, who patented his invention in France in 1866. The principle behind this type of portable extinguisher was tartaric acid mixed with a solution of sodium bicarbonate, which produced carbon dioxide to act as a propellant gas.

The first soda-acid fire extinguisher invented in the US was patented by Almon Granger in 1881. The sodium bicarbonate in Granger's extinguisher was mixed with concentrated sulphuric acid to cause the production of carbon dioxide, which in turn forced out a jet of water.

The principle mechanism with this type of fire extinguisher was that the acid was contained in a small vial, and there would be a system by which the acid would be released into the soda solution, causing the chemical reaction that created carbon dioxide gas. The gas then pressurised the water, forcing it out of the container through a nozzle or hose. The method used to actually release the acid would either involve a mechanism to break the vial or to release a stopper at one end of the vial. This would be by means of a plunger or lever of some sort.

History of the fire extinguisher - Who Invented the First Chemical Foam Fire Extinguisher?

The person who invented the first chemical foam fire extinguisher was Alexander Laurant in Russia in 1905. The basic principles behind how these worked are very similar to the soda-acid extinguishers. Two chemicals were mixed to produce carbon dioxide, and a foam compound was included which trapped some of the gas in the liquid to produce a thick foam. The foam compound (often made from licorice root) was contained in the sodium bicarbonate solution, and there would be a container of aluminium sulphate instead of the acid vial. The two solutions react when mixed together and the system for mixing them was usually to turn the extinguisher upside down.

History of the fire extinguisher - Who Invented the First Carbon Tetrachloride Fire Extinguisher?

The carbon tetrachloride or CTC fire extinguisher was invented by Pyrene in about 1912. The principle behind these extinguishers was that the CTC was forced out of the metal container by use of hand pumping. The vapour produced would interfere with the combustion process, extinguishing flames, but the by-products of this process did have serious consequences on people, particularly in confined spaces. However, the effectiveness of this type of fire extinguisher on liquid and electrical fires made them very popular with the automotive industry for many years.

History of the fire extinguisher - Modern Day Fire Extinguishers

The basic principle of using gas under pressure to force a combustion suppressant out through a directional hose is still the main idea behind all modern fire extinguishers. There are two main systems now used to store the gas used as a propellant. The compressed gas is either contained in a cartridge (gas cartridge type), or in the main vessel itself (stored pressure type). Gas Cartridge extinguishers use cartridges of carbon dioxide whereas stored pressure extinguishers use compressed air.

This gas is then released in a controlled way to expel whatever material the extinguisher contains, whether this be water, foam, powder, etc. With carbon dioxide extinguishers the gas is simply stored as a liquid under pressure, so no other gas or mechanism is required. The type of nozzle varies in order to provide the best result for the content of the extinguisher and the type of fire that it will be used on.

For up to date information on all the modern types of fire extinguisher in use today, please see the main Fire Extinguisher page.

© copyright Fire-RiskAssessment.com 2008-09