The fire extinguishers are useful for controlling the fire in the following ways:

Question

MyClass24 · Accepted Answer

Fire extinguishers extinguish the fire by cutting the supply of air or by bringing down the temperature of fuel or both.
The most common fire extinguisher is water. But waterworks only when things like wood and paper are on fire. If electrical equipment is on fire, water may conduct electricity and harm those trying to douse the fire. Water is also not suitable for fires involving oil and Do you recall that water is heavier than oil? So, it sinks below the oil, and oil keeps burning on the top.
For fires involving electrical equipment and inflammable materials like petrol, carbon dioxide (CO2) is the best extinguisher. CO2, being heavier than oxygen, covers the fire like a blanket. Since the contact between the fuel and oxygen is cut off, the fire is controlled. The added advantage of CO2 is that in most cases it does not harm the electrical equipment.