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Fire extinguisher MCQ: 45 questions and answers, each cited to the standard

This bank has 45 multiple-choice questions in four sets: classes and types, colour bands and markings, selection and placement, and inspection and testing. Every answer carries the clause that makes it correct, so you learn the rule and not only the option.

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By Flamekite Editorial Desk · facts checked against official sources on 2026-10-26

Part 1

Study notes

Overview

This bank has 45 multiple-choice questions in four sets: classes and types, colour bands and markings, selection and placement, and inspection and testing. Every answer carries the clause that makes it correct, so you learn the rule and not only the option.

The questions rest on three Indian Standards: IS 15683:2018 for portable extinguishers, IS 16018:2012 for wheeled ones and IS 2190:2024 for selection, installation and maintenance. They are Flamekite's own questions, not past papers.

Pick an option, then open Show answer. A wrong answer is a prompt to read the clause, and the memory tables below the sets pull the numbers into one place.

Every question is written from IS 15683:2018, IS 16018:2012 and IS 2190:2024 as read on 26 October 2026, with the clause in the explanation. Some state checklists set stricter intervals than the standard, so the answers here are the standard's, not a state's. These are practice questions, not past papers and not an official syllabus.

Fire extinguisher colour bands and test intervals to memorise

Five media, one row each: the band, the hydro test interval, the test pressure and hold, and the life from manufacture.

Band (IS 15683 cl. 10.1)Hydro test everyPressure and holdLife
Water IS 2190:2024Red3 years35 kg/cm2, 150 s10 years
Foam IS 2190:2024Yellow3 years35 kg/cm2, 150 s10 years
Dry powder IS 2190:2024Blue5 years35 kg/cm2, 150 s10 years
Carbon dioxide IS 2190:2024Black5 years225 kg/cm2, 30 s15 years
Clean agent IS 2190:2024Green5 years35 kg/cm2, 150 s10 years

Intervals and pressures are IS 2190:2024 Annex F and life is Annex G; CO2 and clean agent units are also tested at every recharge. Bands are IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1; water mist is red too. State checklists can be stricter.

Fire extinguisher numbers to memorise for the MCQ: 8 figures

Eight figures that decide most fire extinguisher questions, each with its clause.

  • 17 kg

    highest fully charged mass of a portable unit (IS 15683:2018 cl. 3.2) IS 15683:2018

  • 450 kg

    highest fully charged mass of a wheeled unit (IS 16018:2012 cl. 1.2) IS 16018:2012

  • 60 C

    upper limit of every operating range (IS 15683:2018 cl. 7.1) IS 15683:2018

  • 90 days

    about how often a unit is checked (IS 2190:2024 cl. 8.3.1) IS 2190:2024

  • 6 months

    least gap between two yearly maintenance visits (IS 2190:2024 cl. 8.4.1) IS 2190:2024

  • 30 mm

    least clearance under a mounted unit (IS 2190:2024 cl. 5.8) IS 2190:2024

  • 225 kg/cm2

    CO2 hydro test pressure, against 35 for the rest (IS 2190:2024 Annex F) IS 2190:2024

  • 15 years

    life of a CO2 unit, against 10 for the others (IS 2190:2024 Annex G) IS 2190:2024

Fire extinguisher rating codes 2A, 21B and 5F explained

A marking is a letter for the class and a number for the size; three codes cover most questions.

2A
Suitable for Class A solids, size 2. A water or foam unit's minimum Class A rating rises with its charge (IS 15683:2018 Table 3), and the maker declares it from a recognised laboratory test. IS 15683:2018
21B
Suitable for Class B liquids, size 21. IS 15683:2018 Table 4 starts at 21B for a powder or CO2 unit of up to 2 kg and rises to 144B. IS 15683:2018
5F
The smallest Class F rating (IS 15683:2018 Table 9); IS 2190:2024 Table 3 relates it to an appliance surface of 0.03 m2. IS 15683:2018
BC powder
Has no Class A rating, so it is marked for B and C only (IS 15683:2018 Table 3, note 1). IS 15683:2018

Fire extinguisher MCQ traps: 6 common mix-ups

Six confusions that cost marks, each settled by a clause.

  • You may have read

    The hydro test is 5 years for every extinguisher.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Water and foam units are on 3 years; dry powder, CO2 and clean agent are on 5 (IS 2190:2024 Annex F). IS 2190:2024

  • You may have read

    Every extinguisher is tested at 35 kg/cm2.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Only CO2 uses 225 kg/cm2 for 30 s; the others use 35 kg/cm2 for 150 s (IS 2190:2024 Annex F). IS 2190:2024

  • You may have read

    Foam is cream and water mist is blue.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Foam is yellow and water mist is red under IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1. IS 15683:2018

  • You may have read

    Class C covers electrical fires.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Class C is flammable gases; there is no electrical class, and suitable media are chosen under IS 2190:2024 cl. 6.3.7. IS 15683:2018

  • You may have read

    A 17 kg unit is wheeled.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Portable means not above 17 kg; wheeled starts above it (IS 15683:2018 cl. 3.2, IS 16018:2012 cl. 1.2). IS 15683:2018

  • You may have read

    Inspection is monthly.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    The 2024 revision dropped the monthly check; it is at placement and about every 90 days (IS 2190:2024 cl. 8.3.1). IS 2190:2024

Fire extinguisher questions the standards do not answer: 4 gaps

Four things a quiz writer may reach for that these standards do not settle, so no question here asks them.

  • If Extinguisher choice for lithium-ion battery fires

    Not covered in IS 2190:2024 or IS 15683:2018 as read; not asked in this bank. IS 2190:2024

  • If Extinguishers in cars and buses

    IS 2190:2024 cl. 1.4 leaves vehicles out; the vehicle rules are not confirmed here, so there is no question on them. IS 2190:2024

  • If A home must keep an extinguisher

    No household requirement was found; fire NOC rules cover buildings. Not confirmed. IS 2190:2024

  • If Older cream foam bands and 2010 intervals

    The 2018 and 2024 texts govern; IS 2190:2010 was withdrawn on 9 April 2025. IS 2190:2024

Fire extinguisher MCQ revision checklist: 10 points

Ten points to hold before you sit a fire extinguisher paper.

  • Portable is up to 17 kg; wheeled is above 17 kg and up to 450 kg. IS 15683:2018
  • Classes are A, B, C, D and F; there is no electrical class. IS 15683:2018
  • Water red, foam yellow, powder blue, CO2 black, clean agent green, water mist red. IS 15683:2018
  • The band is about 5 percent of the surface on a red body. IS 15683:2018
  • In 21B the letter is the class and the number the size. IS 15683:2018
  • Travel: 10 m for Class F, 15 m for Class B, 20 m for Class D. IS 2190:2024
  • Top of a unit up to 17 kg at 1.5 m; bottom 30 mm clear; no locked cabinet. IS 2190:2024
  • Check at placement and about every 90 days; maintain yearly, not less than 6 months apart. IS 2190:2024
  • Hydro test: 3 years water and foam, 5 years powder, CO2 and clean agent; CO2 at 225 kg/cm2 for 30 s. IS 2190:2024
  • Life: 10 years, and 15 years for CO2; recharge after any use with dry nitrogen, never compressed air. IS 2190:2024

Fire extinguisher MCQ revision order in 5 sittings

Flamekite’s working from the official rules; no government publishes this figure.

Flamekite's suggested order, longest-lasting facts first; it is a study aid, not an exam rule.

  1. 1. Classes and mass limits

    Learn the five classes and the 17 kg and 450 kg limits, then answer the first set. IS 15683:2018

  2. 2. Bands and markings

    Say the six band colours aloud, then answer the second set. IS 15683:2018

  3. 3. Distances and heights

    Fix 10, 15 and 20 m, 1.5 m and 30 mm, then answer the third set. IS 2190:2024

  4. 4. Intervals and pressures

    Rebuild the table of 3 and 5 years, 35 and 225 kg/cm2 from memory, then answer the fourth set. IS 2190:2024

  5. 5. Redo the misses

    Reread the clause behind each wrong answer and attempt all 45 again. IS 2190:2024

Where the fire extinguisher MCQ appears in fire service exams

Both fire exam pages on Flamekite list extinguishers among the fire-service topics, though neither notice prints a fire syllabus.

The Telangana Fire Fighter notice names 9 general topics and no fire science, and the AAI Junior Assistant (Fire Service) notices print no topic-wise syllabus. Each exam page maps extinguishers as a topic a fire-service candidate needs and ends with its own practice quiz.

This bank goes deeper on the one topic. Use it beside those pages' quizzes, not in place of the notice for the exam you sit.

Exam pages on Flamekite that list extinguishers in their topic map, read on 26 October 2026.
WhatThe ruleSource
Telangana Fire Fighter, 2026Notice names 9 general topics; extinguishers sit in Flamekite's topic map onlyTSLPRB notice 189/2026
AAI Junior Assistant (Fire Service)Notices print no topic-wise syllabus; extinguishers sit in Flamekite's topic map onlyAAI NR 01/2025

Fire extinguisher pages that teach the 45 answers

Four Flamekite pages cover the ground behind these questions.

Part 2

Free practice and mock test

16 free questions from the 45-question bank. Practise one at a time with the answer and its clause shown as you go, or sit a timed mock and see your score, accuracy and weak topics at the end. Your progress stays in this browser only.

Question 1 of 16Classes and types

A fully charged extinguisher weighs 20 kg. Under the Indian standards, how is it classed?

Pick an option to see the answer and the clause behind it.

Part 3

16 free questions with cited answers

The free sample on one page, for revision: open “Show answer” under any question.

Fire extinguisher classes and types MCQ: 10 questions

Ten questions on the fire classes, the mass limits and the extinguisher types the standards recognise.

  1. Q1 A fully charged extinguisher weighs 20 kg. Under the Indian standards, how is it classed?

    1. Portable
    2. Wheeled
    3. Fixed installation
    4. Not covered by any standard
    Show answer

    B. Wheeled. IS 16018:2012 cl. 1.2 covers wheeled units above 17 kg and not above 450 kg; IS 15683:2018 cl. 3.2 stops portable units at 17 kg. IS 16018:2012

  2. Q2 How many extinguisher types by medium does IS 15683:2018 cl. 4 list for portable units?

    1. Four
    2. Five
    3. Six
    4. Eight
    Show answer

    C. Six. IS 15683:2018 cl. 4 lists six: water based, foam, powder, carbon dioxide, clean agent and water mist. IS 15683:2018

  3. Q3 IS 16018:2012 lists four wheeled types. Under which one does a unit with a foaming agent fall?

    1. Water based
    2. Dry powder
    3. Clean agent
    4. A separate foam type
    Show answer

    A. Water based. IS 16018:2012 cl. 4.1 names water-based, powder, CO2 and clean agent types, and cl. 4.2 lets the water-based type carry additives such as foaming agents. IS 16018:2012

  4. Q4 A stack of timber and paper catches fire. Which class is it under IS 15683:2018?

    1. Class A
    2. Class B
    3. Class C
    4. Class D
    Show answer

    A. Class A. IS 15683:2018 cl. 3.1.1 defines Class A as fires of organic solids such as wood, paper, rubber and plastics, where cooling is essential. IS 15683:2018

Fire extinguisher colour code and marking MCQ: 12 questions

Twelve questions on the body colour, the distinguishing band, the rating letters and what every unit must show.

  1. Q1 Which colour is the distinguishing band of a foam extinguisher under IS 15683:2018?

    1. Red
    2. Cream
    3. Yellow
    4. Green
    Show answer

    C. Yellow. IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1 gives foam a yellow band; some older labels still show cream, which the 2018 text does not use. IS 15683:2018

  2. Q2 Which band colour does IS 15683:2018 give a clean agent extinguisher?

    1. Green
    2. Blue
    3. Black
    4. Yellow
    Show answer

    A. Green. IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1 gives clean agent a green band. IS 15683:2018

  3. Q3 Which band colour does a water mist extinguisher carry under IS 15683:2018?

    1. Blue
    2. Black
    3. Green
    4. Red
    Show answer

    D. Red. IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1 gives water and water mist units a red band, on a red body. IS 15683:2018

  4. Q4 About what share of the body surface is the distinguishing band under IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1?

    1. About 5 percent
    2. About 25 percent
    3. About 50 percent
    4. The whole body
    Show answer

    A. About 5 percent. IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1 asks for a prominent band of about 5 percent of the surface area, on a red body. IS 15683:2018

Fire extinguisher selection and placement MCQ: 12 questions

Twelve questions on choosing the right unit, how far to travel to it and how to mount it, from IS 2190:2024.

  1. Q1 Is a carbon dioxide extinguisher with a metal horn considered safe on live electrical equipment under IS 2190:2024 cl. 6.3.7?

    1. Yes, if the equipment is small
    2. Yes, at any distance
    3. No, it is not considered safe
    4. Only indoors
    Show answer

    C. No, it is not considered safe. IS 2190:2024 cl. 6.3.7 does not consider CO2 with metal horns safe on energised equipment. IS 2190:2024

  2. Q2 Where may AFFF or FFFP foam be used on water-soluble flammable liquids under IS 2190:2024 cl. 6.4.3?

    1. Anywhere
    2. Only if the nameplate says so
    3. Never, in any case
    4. Only in outdoor cabinets
    Show answer

    B. Only if the nameplate says so. IS 2190:2024 cl. 6.4.3 bars AFFF and FFFP on water-soluble liquids unless the nameplate states it is suitable. IS 2190:2024

  3. Q3 What rating and floor area per extinguisher does IS 2190:2024 Table 1 give for a light-hazard Class A occupancy?

    1. 3A, 150 m2
    2. 2A, 300 m2
    3. 4A, 100 m2
    4. 1A, 500 m2
    Show answer

    B. 2A, 300 m2. IS 2190:2024 Table 1: light 2A and 300 m2; moderate 3A and 150 m2; high 4A and 100 m2. IS 2190:2024

  4. Q4 What is the Class B and C rating for a moderate-hazard occupancy in IS 2190:2024 Table 2?

    1. 55B
    2. 89B
    3. 144B
    4. 233B
    Show answer

    C. 144B. IS 2190:2024 Table 2: light 55B, moderate 144B and high 233B, with 15 m travel. IS 2190:2024

Fire extinguisher inspection and testing MCQ: 11 questions

Eleven questions on checks, recharging, hydro tests, discard rules and life, from IS 2190:2024.

  1. Q1 What happened to the monthly inspection in the 2024 revision of IS 2190?

    1. It became weekly
    2. It was removed, leaving the check at about 90 days
    3. It was kept unchanged
    4. It moved to every 6 months
    Show answer

    B. It was removed, leaving the check at about 90 days. The third cover of IS 2190:2024 notes the monthly inspection was removed; cl. 8.3.1 checks at placement and about every 90 days. IS 2190:2024

  2. Q2 How far apart must two maintenance visits be under IS 2190:2024 cl. 8.4.1?

    1. At least 1 month
    2. At least 3 months
    3. At least 6 months
    4. At least 2 years
    Show answer

    C. At least 6 months. IS 2190:2024 cl. 8.4.1: once a year, but not less than six months apart; it is also done at hydro test or when an inspection shows a need. IS 2190:2024

  3. Q3 What happens to a gas cartridge under Table 4 of IS 2190:2024 if it holds under 10 percent of its gross weight or leaks?

    1. It is topped up
    2. It is withdrawn or replaced
    3. It is repainted
    4. It is kept in service until the next year
    Show answer

    B. It is withdrawn or replaced. IS 2190:2024 Table 4 withdraws such a cartridge from service or replaces it as the maker recommends. IS 2190:2024

  4. Q4 When must a rechargeable extinguisher be recharged, under IS 2190:2024 cl. 9?

    1. After any use
    2. Only after a full discharge
    3. Once the gauge reads zero
    4. Every 6 months
    Show answer

    A. After any use. IS 2190:2024 cl. 9 requires recharging after any use, then mass verification and a leak test. IS 2190:2024

Part 4

Get the full 45-question bank

The free sample is 16 of 45 questions. The full bank holds every question with its cited answer, set out as papers you can print and sit against the clock.

Questions about Fire extinguisher MCQ

How many fire extinguisher MCQ questions are here?

45, in four sets: classes and types (10), colour bands and markings (12), selection and placement (12) and inspection and testing (11). Each answer cites a clause.

What are the colour codes for fire extinguishers?

Under IS 15683:2018 cl. 10.1 the body is red and the band shows the medium: water red, foam yellow, powder blue, carbon dioxide black, clean agent green and water mist red.

What are the classes of fire in India?

A for organic solids, B for flammable liquids and liquefiable solids, C for flammable gases, D for combustible metals and F for cooking oils and fats (IS 15683:2018 cl. 3.1). There is no electrical class.

How often is a fire extinguisher inspected?

At placement and about every 90 days, with maintenance yearly and at least 6 months apart (IS 2190:2024 cl. 8.3.1 and 8.4.1).

How often is a fire extinguisher hydro tested?

Every 3 years for water and foam units and every 5 years for dry powder, CO2 and clean agent units; CO2 is tested at 225 kg/cm2 for 30 s (IS 2190:2024 Annex F).

Are these questions from past papers?

No. They are Flamekite's own, written from the clauses of three standards, and none is taken from any exam or coaching site.

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Sources

Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Flamekite checks its sources

  1. Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 15683:2018, Portable Fire Extinguishers, Performance and Construction, Specification (second revision) (free download after registration) (opens in a new tab)checked 26 October 2026
  2. Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 16018:2012, Wheeled Fire Extinguishers, Performance and Construction, Specification (free download after registration) (opens in a new tab)checked 26 October 2026
  3. Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 2190:2024, Selection, Installation and Maintenance of First-Aid Fire Extinguishers (Portable and Mobile), Code of Practice, fifth revision (free download after registration) (opens in a new tab)checked 26 October 2026
  4. Telangana State Level Police Recruitment Board (TSLPRB): Notification Rc No. 189/Rect./Rect-2/2026 dated 29 July 2026: SCT PC (Civil, AR, SAR CPL), SCT Constable SPF, Fire Fighter (post code 26) and Warder; vacancies, eligibility, selection scheme, Annexures I to III; page numbers cited are the notice's own (57 pages) (opens in a new tab)checked 26 October 2026
  5. Airports Authority of India: Advertisement 01/2025/NR: Junior Assistant (Fire Services), NE-4 (opens in a new tab)checked 24 October 2026
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