To extinguish the burning oil products water not only a useless invention, but also absolutely harmful - precious time leaves. However the fact that the similar fires extinguish in other ways, not everyone knows. Though to it there is quite simple scientific explanation.
Oil products as well as all the rest light up - from a match, a spark and other ways of an arson. Such flame long and beautifully burns. However it is necessary to fight against it nonconventionally. And all because it is impossible to extinguish oil products water. Here it is a high time to address a school course of physics. Oil density much less density usual water. Therefore the water poured on the burning spot falls down and collects there, in no way without influencing the ignition center. The burning oil products simply together with fire emerge on a surface and continue to flare. Due to this feature there is also such problem as increase in the fire area. Water spreads in different directions, carrying for itself and an oil spot of oil which continues to burn. That is just in a few minutes the place of burning can double practically. It is possible to extinguish the ignited fuel only air and mechanical foam. Powder fire extinguishers also are suitable for small scales - such usually sell for cars. If all of you want to use water, then it surely has to go through all stages of processing and to become sprayed. One more option as it is possible to extinguish such ignition, - mechanical suppression. But such method has to be applied only when the center of burning rather small. For this purpose take a piece of tarpaulin or other similar dense fabric (asbestos or rough wool perfectly will approach), throw it over the burning fuel and begin to clap intensively. The more vigorously, the better. At suppression of such fires it is necessary to be very careful, water which contains directly in fuel, can play a bad role. When the burning oil gets warm up to the temperature above 100 °C, particles of the weighed water in it begin to start to boil that, in turn, can be followed by emissions of the heated oil products. There is it, as a rule, in 60 minutes after the beginning of ignition. Therefore you have only an hour to decide on the choice of means of suppression and to eliminate ignition as soon as possible.