Water on an electrical fire can increase the danger of electrical shock.

Water on an electrical fire can increase the danger of electrical shock.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not enough information
• D. Depends

Answer: (A)

Water conducts electricity, so when it comes into contact with an electrical fire it can create a path for current to travel to you or other objects. That means the presence of water can turn a fire into a shock hazard, potentially shocking anyone who touches wet surfaces or conductive paths energized by the live electrical source. Because of this, water is not a safe way to fight electrical fires; the safer approach is to de-energize the circuit and use extinguishing methods appropriate for energized electrical fires. The idea that water might not always be a problem or that information could be missing misses the fundamental property of water as a conductor, which makes the shock risk a consistent concern in these situations.

Water conducts electricity, so when it comes into contact with an electrical fire it can create a path for current to travel to you or other objects. That means the presence of water can turn a fire into a shock hazard, potentially shocking anyone who touches wet surfaces or conductive paths energized by the live electrical source. Because of this, water is not a safe way to fight electrical fires; the safer approach is to de-energize the circuit and use extinguishing methods appropriate for energized electrical fires. The idea that water might not always be a problem or that information could be missing misses the fundamental property of water as a conductor, which makes the shock risk a consistent concern in these situations.