Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-09
THE CAUSES OF FIRE
GASOLINE AND COAL OIL ARE
AMONG THE MOST PROLIFIC.
A Fire Department Official Gives In
stances of Carelessness and Some
Cautionary Advice.

| "In view Of the fact that the coal famine
has brought oil and gasoline so promi-
| nently into use In this city," said an official
| of the fire department this morning to
! Star reporter, "a word as to the use OF
| these fluids and as to the cause of fires will
not be amiss, as 1t is astonishing how care
| less people are with these dangerous ar
| ticles and Others
| During the past year there were ninety
| five fires caused either directly or indirectly
by gasoline or like fluids, an increase Of two
| over the preceding year. Eighteen Of these
| fires were due to the explosion of gasoline
| stoves, and eighteen persons were more or
! less seriously burned In these fires, and two
| were fatally burned.
| For my part, would not allow gasoline
! to be used on the premises occupy under
| any circumstances, but to those who use 1t
| let me warn them not to keep 1t In the
| cupboard or the kitchen, as so many do.
| While have known of cases where 1t has
| been kept in the kitchen, other people keep
| 1t in the cellar. If it Is to be kept at all,
| let 1t be kept out of doors in the yard, and
to those who live in flats where yards are
| not available, then outside on the porch or
| fire escape, and as far away from the
| kitchen door as the narrow limits permit
| Servants especially dereliet In this re-
spect, being too indolent or ignorant to APP
ply rules of common sense, but housekeep-
| ers owe a duty to themselves, and those
| who occupy the premises with them, to en-
! force this rule.
I'm fact. too many precautions cannot be
| thrown about the storage and use of gaSo-
| line because Of Its very treacherouS and
| highly explosive nature, and the depart
ment renews its recommendation through
| The Star that dealers In 1t be required to
furnish every purchaser of gasoline and
| gasoline stoves with printed instructions
| as to their care and use.
Zone great unthought cause Of explosions
/ md al mo fS haf FUN
| are heavier than air and will lie along the
floor. A match struck high in the air in
| room where gasoline has been used might
| not cause an explosion, and 1t might, de-
| pending upon the occasion, but the same
| match struck along a Dashboard would
| cause an explosion, and perhaps a fatal
/ one
Other Instances Of Carelessness.
| "There were I'll alarms Of fire last year
| in the District. an increase of sixty-one
i over the previous year, though the total
| loss Sl34,5O0, was the lowest in twelve
| years. and less than one-half Of the previ-
| Gus year. OF these, aside from the eigh-
/ teen already mentioned, six were caused
| by cleaning beds with gasoline, three from
| leaking gasoline stoves, seven from the
overflow of gasoline, an equal number from
| the overflow from gasoline stoves, eight
| from the fumes alone, three from tank cX-
plosions and many ether instances from
| cleaning bicycles with gasoline to draw
| ing the same from the tank while smoking
lighted cigarette, ard nearly all from
careleSSnesS pure and simple.
This winter will see in use in Washing
| ton probably more oil stoves than before
in any one winter. 1t will be interesting
to observe at the end of the season the
number of fires resulting from the use of
oil. and it will beyond doubt greatly ex-
coed last year. For. the benefit of those
who are using, or who may be compelled
to use. oil, will give you the following few
instances Of fires resulting from the use OF
oil. so that people may be on their guard
as to the most prolific causes of such fires,
and be cautions accordingly:
THE familiar cause of the tXp1 oSion Of
the coal oil lamp produced eight fires. and
the explosion of the oil stove four, while
| ten additional fires resulted from oil stoves
| In one way or another. To illustrate the
crazy manner some persons use gasoline.
one fire resulted from throwing a lighted
| match in some gasoline. and another from
pouring gasoline in a hot kettle.
Gas Will also be much more In use for
cooking and heating this winter than ever
before. Eight fires resulted from gas stoves
and lamps last year, two from gas jets. one
from igniting evergreen, and no less than
eighteen from gas jets igniting lace cur
tains. The use of glass globes minimizes
the danger from fire from this last named
cause. but curtains frequently ignite from
the f1aring tip of the flame projecting a,>ove
| the globe. Great care should be exercised
| In opening window near gas Jet.
Children playing with matches caused
twenty f1res while the dropping Of lighted
matches was responsible for twenty -one
| additional blaZes- The worst fire of the
year. the one the water front, was
| caused by workman carelessly throwing
down his match after lighting his pipe.
There was only one case where the servant
| wanted the fire to burn faster, poured coal
| oil into the fire. and produced another that
! badly frightened her. In fact, matches were
| the cause Of many more additional fires
| than 1 have named, those being produced
! by rats alone numbering no less than four
teen.
IF our residents will exercise more care
| In the use Of gasoline. gas. coal Oil and
| matches this winter, the probable big in
| crease because Of the absence of coal will
| be lessened by the time fires are put out
| for good in the spring."