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Fires can be classified into five different types - those involving organic materials, such as wood and paper (Class A), flammable liquids (Class B), electrical equipment (Class C), combustible metals (Class D) and cooking oils (Class K). Different types of fires must be tackled in different ways, and a technique that works for one type does not always provide proper protection for another. As well, some currently available extinguishers create clean-up and environmental problems, and are expensive. They may also generate toxic or corrosive combustion by-products during fire suppression, causing danger to people and damage to facilities, and thus are not suitable for protecting medical centres, telecommunication facilities, industrial 'clean rooms' or food processing plants.
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