Fire has been both humanity’s greatest ally and most feared enemy throughout history.
Whilst we’ve harnessed its power for cooking, warmth, and industry, we’ve also continuously sought ways to control and extinguish it when it threatens our lives and property.
The evolution of fire extinguishers tells a fascinating story of human ingenuity, scientific advancement, and our relentless pursuit of safety.
Ancient Fire Fighting Methods
Long before the invention of portable fire extinguishers, ancient civilisations developed various methods to combat fires. The Romans, known for their engineering prowess, created the first organised fire brigades around 6 AD under Emperor Augustus. These early firefighters, called “vigiles,” used bucket brigades, water pumps, and even primitive squirt guns made from bronze to battle blazes.
Squirts were used on the 1666 Great Fire of London. This demonstrates that water-based fire suppression tools had been developed and deployed in Britain by the 17th century, though they were still rudimentary compared to modern standards.
In ancient Egypt, people discovered that sand and dirt could effectively smother fires by cutting off the oxygen supply. This principle would later become fundamental to modern fire suppression technology. Ancient Chinese firefighters used water mixed with various substances, including salt, to create more effective fire-fighting solutions.
The Birth of Modern Fire Extinguishers
The first recorded fire extinguisher was patented in England in 1723 by Ambrose Godfrey, a celebrated chemist of his time. It consisted of a cask of fire-extinguishing liquid that contained a pewter chamber of gunpowder. A system of fuses would light up, exploding the gunpowder and scattering the liquid over the fire. Whilst innovative, this early design was dangerous and impractical for widespread use.
The real breakthrough came when Captain George William Manby invented the portable fire extinguisher in 1818-1819. His copper vessel contained 3 gallons (13.6 litres) of pearl ash (potassium carbonate) solution under compressed air pressure. This design established the basic principle of pressurised fire extinguishers that would guide development for centuries to come.
The Soda-Acid Revolution
The soda-acid fire extinguisher became the first widely adopted portable fire extinguisher in the latter half of the 19th century. These devices contained a solution of water and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with a small bottle of sulphuric acid suspended inside. When the extinguisher was inverted or struck, the acid would mix with the soda solution, creating carbon dioxide gas that pressurised the container and expelled the water.
Soda-acid extinguishers dominated the market for nearly a century, despite their limitations. They were heavy, required regular maintenance, and the acid could be dangerous if mishandled. However, they were relatively inexpensive and effective against most common fires.
Chemical Foam and Early Innovations
Loran invented fire fighting foam in 1904 and patented the foam fire extinguisher that same year. In honour of his beer-fueled epiphany, he sold fire extinguishers under the brand name Eureka. These chemical foam extinguishers combined aluminium sulphate and sodium bicarbonate to create a thick foam that could blanket fires and prevent re-ignition. The new foam-based fire extinguishers were able to fight oil-based flames, and also held a higher capacity than previous designs.
During this period, inventors also experimented with carbon tetrachloride extinguishers. In 1910, The Pyrene Manufacturing Company of Delaware filed a patent for an extinguisher using carbon tetrachloride (CTC) to extinguish fires. The CTC vaporised and extinguished the flames by creating a dense, oxygen-excluding blanket of fumes, inhibiting the chemical reaction. Whilst effective, carbon tetrachloride was later found to be highly toxic and carcinogenic, leading to its eventual ban for fire extinguisher use.
The Development of Fire Grenades
The first fire-extinguishing grenade was patented in 1863 and was followed by more device patents.
These glass bulbs, filled with fire-suppressing chemicals, were designed to be thrown at fires or automatically activate when exposed to heat.
The first glass fire grenades were made of decorative coloured glass and became popular for both home and industrial applications, though they were eventually phased out due to safety concerns.
The Rise of Different Fire Classes
As industrial processes became more complex, firefighters and safety experts recognised that different types of fires required different suppression methods. This led to the classification system we use today:
Class A: Ordinary combustibles like wood, paper, and fabric
Class B: Flammable liquids and gases
Class C: Electrical fires
Class D: Combustible metals
Class F: Cooking oils and fats (added later)
This classification system drove the development of specialised extinguishing agents. Water-based extinguishers worked well for Class A fires but could be dangerous on electrical or grease fires. Dry chemical extinguishers emerged as versatile solutions that could handle multiple fire classes.
Modern Developments and Environmental Concerns
The mid-20th century brought significant advances in fire extinguisher technology. Pressurised water extinguishers replaced the old soda-acid models, offering better reliability and easier maintenance. Dry chemical extinguishers using potassium bicarbonate or ammonium phosphate became popular for their effectiveness against multiple fire types.
The development of halogenated agents like Halon 1211 and 1301 in the 1960s marked another milestone. These agents were incredibly effective at suppressing fires with minimal residue, making them ideal for protecting sensitive equipment like computers and electronics. However, environmental concerns about ozone depletion led to the phase-out of halon-based extinguishers under the Montreal Protocol.
The Search for Environmentally Friendly Solutions
The ban on halon agents spurred innovation in environmentally friendly fire suppression.
Clean agents like FM-200 and Novec 1230 were developed to replace halon systems, offering similar effectiveness without the environmental impact.
Water mist systems emerged as another eco-friendly alternative, using fine water droplets to cool flames and displace oxygen.
Contemporary Fire Extinguisher Technology
Today’s fire extinguishers incorporate advanced materials and designs that make them more effective and user-friendly than ever before.
Modern extinguishers feature:
Pressure gauges that allow users to monitor readiness at a glance
Ergonomic designs that make them easier to handle during emergencies
Improved chemical formulations that are more effective and environmentally safe
Colour-coded systems that help users quickly identify the appropriate extinguisher type
Automatic fire suppression systems have also evolved significantly, with sophisticated detection systems that can identify fires in their earliest stages and deploy appropriate suppression agents automatically.
The Future of Fire Suppression
As we move forward, fire extinguisher technology continues to evolve.
Researchers are developing smart extinguishers with built-in sensors that can detect different types of fires and automatically adjust their suppression methods.
Nanotechnology is being explored to create more effective fire suppressants, whilst Internet of Things (IoT) integration allows for remote monitoring and maintenance of fire safety systems.
The history of fire extinguishers reflects humanity’s ongoing battle against one of nature’s most destructive forces.
From Ambrose Godfrey’s explosive contraption in 1723 to today’s sophisticated suppression systems, each innovation has built upon previous discoveries to create safer, more effective fire protection.
As technology advances, we can expect fire extinguishers to become even more intelligent, environmentally friendly, and capable of protecting lives and property from the ever-present threat of fire.
The evolution of fire extinguishers serves as a testament to human ingenuity and our commitment to safety. Each breakthrough, from Manby’s pressurised copper vessel to modern clean agent systems, represents countless hours of research, testing, and refinement.
As we face new challenges in fire safety, from protecting increasingly complex electronic systems to addressing environmental concerns, the history of fire extinguishers reminds us that innovation and determination can overcome even the most daunting obstacles.
