What is the recommended action if a fire is expanding rapidly despite a few seconds of extinguishing?

• A. Continue extinguishing with renewed effort
• B. Evacuate and wait for instructions, but avoid calling emergency services
• C. Stop, evacuate, and call emergency services; do not attempt to fight a rapidly growing fire
• D. Move away and monitor from a safe distance without calling emergency services

Answer: (C)

When a fire is expanding rapidly, the priority is you and others’ safety, not trying to fight it with a small extinguisher. A blaze that grows quickly can intensify heat and smoke, making it easy to become trapped or overwhelmed. In such a situation, stopping the attempt to extinguish, evacuating immediately, and calling emergency services allows trained crews to handle the fire with the right equipment and strategy. Continuing to fight a growing fire or delaying evacuation increases the risk of severe injury or death, and trying to monitor from a safe distance without reporting lets the situation worsen and responders lose precious time.