Lithium, Elemental

Corrosive ... Water reactive ... Evolves hydrogen and ignites on contact with water.

Sodium carbonate and sodium chloride are unsuitable to use as extinguishers for lithium fires, since burning lithium will liberate the more reactive sodium in contact with them.

Liquid lithium is readily ignited and reacts with most extinguishing agents, including water, carbon tetrachloride and carbon dioxide.

Since lithium will burn in oxygen, nitrogen or carbon dioxide, and when alight it will remove the combined oxygen in sand, sodium carbonate, etc., it is difficult to extinguish once alight ... Use of normal fire extinguishers (containing water, form, carbon dioxide, halocarbons, dry powders) will either accelerate combustion or cause explosion.