(ECNS) -- Carbonated soft drinks such as cola can help fight fires caused by flammable solid materials, including wood, cotton and paper, but cannot put out fires caused by fuels and burnable gases, according to a report in the Guangzhou Daily.
A video showing a firefighter using a bottle of cola to extinguish a flame had sparked hot debate online. In the video, a firefighter shook a cola bottle and then sprayed the drink over the flame, which was quickly extinguished.
An experiment at a fire station in Yangjiang city, Guangdong province also proved cola could put out flames, according to the report.
"Carbonated soft drinks such as cola can create a lot of froth after being shaken," explained Zhu Dongyuan, a firefighter in Yangjiang. The froth could stifle and cool the surface of burning materials, he added.
However, carbonated soft drinks couldn't help fight fires caused by liquids or gases, Zhu said. Plus, a bottle of cola could only be sprayed for several seconds, he said.
Zhu also suggested people called 119 and used a fire extinguisher in the event of a fire.
