No, a fire cannot burn in water. Fire requires three elements known as the "fire triangle": fuel, oxygen, and heat. While water does contain oxygen atoms within its molecular structure, the oxygen is chemically bound to hydrogen and is not available for combustion.
In order for a fire to burn, it needs a readily available source of oxygen to support the chemical reaction known as combustion. Water molecules do not provide this readily available oxygen, as the oxygen atoms are already bonded to hydrogen atoms in a stable configuration.
If you were to introduce a flame or a source of heat to water, the heat energy would cause the water molecules to increase in temperature and eventually reach its boiling point, leading to the conversion of water into steam or vapor. The heat would be absorbed by the water molecules, and the water itself would act as a cooling agent, making it difficult for the fire to sustain itself.
It's worth noting that certain substances that can release oxygen, such as certain chemicals or oxidizers, can support combustion even when immersed in water. However, this is due to the oxygen released by those substances rather than the water itself.