FIRES FROM UNLOOKED-FOR CAUSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 50

FIRES FROM UNLOOKED-FOR CAUSES.

Tbiflbs That Obiginatb Catastbophes.

Fires most mysterious in their origin occa- " sionally occur in the most carefully -guarded households, and incendiarism is frequently suspected when perhaps some little fact, sosimple in itself as to be over-looked, would satisfactorily explain the cause. It has long been known to salvage men that many a fire is due to mice. The little rodents, when hunger drives, are often attracted by -wax matches left lying loosely about ; or, possibly scenting the greasy material that enters into the composition of these matches, they convey them into their boles and hiding places beneath the floor, when the friction of their teeth is sufficient to cause a sudden ignition. They have even been known to gnaw into a box of wax vestas left on a shelf in a cupboard so that an explosion and a bursting into flames of the whole .of the contents have followed. It is pretty certain also that outbreaks of fire have been owing to both rats and mice knocking over boxes of matches of the oldfashioned kind, or through their causing them to fall from a shelf on to the ground, • tht percussion being sufficient to ignite them, '

Oats, though as a rule particularly surefooted in their movements, even in the dark, have been known to cause conflagrations by the same accidents, and through the overturning of unguarded lights.

Another danger not to be ignored is that arising from kittens, which in the cold season sometimes develop an especial fondness for seeking warmth under the kitchen grate, thus getting" their fur alight through sparks and hot emDers falling upon them, when they are very liable to sot light to anything inflammable with which they may happen to come in contact as they dart about in their pain and fright.

Not a few persons, too, have lost their lives through the dangerous habit of falling asleep whilst; reading newspapers or periodicals before an open grate, when the smallest spark from the fire or the scorching of the paper is sufficient 10 cause a blaza.

Lighted tobacco and smouldering cigar ends, fusee lights, and half-burnt wax vestas carelessly thrown down gratings or street areas by smokers passing by in the streets at night may also account for many a mysterious fire in shops and dwelling houses.

The writer knew of an instance in which an outbreak of fire, happily prevented from being at all serious, was traced to a lighted cigar stump that was carelessly thrown away by a stranger in the street and brought home in the bottom flounce of a lady's skirt. It was at the time, some few years ago, when ladies wore the trains of their out-door dresses so long as to drag the pavement in walking, and in this instance doubtless the burning cigar end had been netted and carried home, where the skirt, soon afterwards being huDg tap in the lady's wardrobs, burst into flame.

Pharmaceutioal chemists, knowing that many of the drugs kept by them in stock are of a highly explosive nature when brought into contact, are careful to keep them apart

and to secure them from accidents which might poesibly cause a conflagration on their premises or personal injury to themselves. This refers more particularly to the compounding of mixtures in which eaeily reducible substances enter, such as the chlorates, the hypophosphites, the nitrates, preparations of iodine or ammonia, chromic acid, glycerine, permanganate of potash, &c.

Again, on tjie same principle by which a spectacle glass may be made to bring down fire from the Bun to light a smoker's pipe on a. burning August day, the weres in an optician's window become, when the snn's rays are at all powerful, a possible source of danger to the shop front; and accordingly you will generally see the optician's shop blind consistently lowered during the hot summer months.