The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-08-28
Important Hints on putting out Fires

1t should be firmly fixed in the mind of
every man, woman, and child, that the
best way TO extinguish fire is 10 smoth-
er a., TO shut out the access of air. If
the clothes take fire, wrap them together
closely, or throw around them blanket,
sheet, another dress, a table-cloth, or
piece of carpet anything that can be
iirst got hold Of. A newspaper, or hand
kerchieb suddenly spread over flame
and drawn down SO as 10 shut out air,
will extinguish or check the fire. IL is
well for children and even grown people
10 practice extinguishng flame, by set
ting on fire, in safe place out of doors,
quantity of paper or shaviugs, and even
burning fluid, and then try how suddenly
the flame may be extinguished with
cloth or paper A little practice like this
will give confidence and experience, and
prevent that sudden fright and indecisiou
which generally occurs when fire breaks
out.
Where burning fluids are used, they
frequently run over and take fire on The
outside of the lamp. Usually, if held
still, the excess of fluid will burn off with
no harm. A sudden, heavy blast of
breath will generally put out the flame.
A cloth thrown entirely over it, will GER
tainly put it out. Shaking tho lamp
through fright, or throwing it down, only
makes the matter worse, by forcing out
more fluid. Don't be afraid of an "explo-
sion." 1t is next to impossible TO ex-
plode even n burning lamp. 1t is barely
possible to do il by having the wick out
of one tube, so that the flame can run
down the opening; and then not one timo
in a thousand will there be just the right
mixture of air and fluid vapor to produce
explosion enough TO break the lamp
There may be a little puff and rsport and
the dropping of the lamp in fright will
throw out the fluid, or break the lamp if
of glass, when of course there will be
flame, but one easily extinguished by
means of cloth. Dashing on water Of
ten scatters the burning liquid around the
room, making the matter worse. Let il
be remembered, that not one in five hun
dred Of the reported explosions of
lamps, is really an explosion at ALL
They result from spilling fluid careless
ly, or breaking lamp. In the fright,
the fluid is perhaps dashed over the cloth
ipg and bad burns and even death may
result, especially if the person runs out
into the air, and thus fans the flame
After all that has been published and said
on the subject, any person who will fill
lamp while burning, or do il near another
burning lamp or fire, ought 10 be burned
"A little.
If fire occurs in room or closet, do
not throw open the doors and windows,
and thus fan the flame. Close every ap-
erturc instantly, until an abundance of
blankets, and water, are secured, then
throw open the door, and quickly smoth-
er the flame. No common substance will
burn without air, except gunpowder, or
nitre, or cblorate of potash, and such like
compounds which of themselves furnish
the oxygen to support the flame. Even
phosphorus will instantly go ont if simp-
y smothcred.
If these simple directions were so fixed
in the mind, that person is prepared 10
act coolly, nine tenths Of all the fires, tho
suffering from burning of garments, and
the so-called lamp explosions would be
avoided. Am. Agriculturist.