Aluminum dust, capable of exploding, is categorized as a Class II flammable material. It reacts with water to produce hydrogen gas and heat.
In case of an aluminum dust explosion, using water for extinguishing is not advisable. Foam fire extinguishers are the recommended option (especially in aluminum profile processing) as the foam isolates the flames from the air. This is due to aluminum’s chemical reaction with water, which produces hydrogen gas, rendering water ineffective for fire suppression. There has been an incident where an explosion was triggered by attempting to extinguish burning aluminum dust with water.
