A student notices that a small amount of ethanol has spilled on the laboratory bench and caught fire. Which of the following is the most appropriate immediate action?
Show the answer and explanation
Correct answer
B. Use a fire blanket to smother the flames
Principle or equation
For small fires involving flammable liquids, smothering with a fire blanket cuts off oxygen and is safer than using water, which can spread the fire.
Why this answer is correct
Water is denser than ethanol and may spread the burning liquid. A fire blanket is designed to smother small fires by excluding oxygen. Evacuation is necessary for large fires, and fanning supplies more oxygen, worsening the fire.
Example
A small ethanol spill ignites; the student grabs a fire blanket and lays it over the flames, which quickly go out because oxygen is excluded.
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