Which of the following is the correct method to extinguish a fire by removing oxygen?

• A. Smother
• B. Cool
• C. Starve
• D. Ventilate

Answer: (A)

Removing oxygen stops a flame by choking the air supply around it. Smothering achieves this by covering or enclosing the fire so that little or no oxygen can reach the combustion zone—think of using a fire blanket or a lid to seal off the flame. With the oxygen level in the immediate area reduced, the chemical reactions that sustain combustion cannot continue and the fire goes out.

Cooling, on the other hand, would slow or stop burning by lowering the temperature, not by removing oxygen. Starving would remove the fuel source, which can also stop burning but isn’t about cutting off air. Ventilating would bring in more air, increasing the oxygen available and potentially feeding the fire rather than extinguishing it.