Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-23
BURNING AUTOMOBILES.
Some OF the Curious Causes Of Serious
Fires in GARAGES,

Fires in Garages.
The frequency Of fires in anta,nn-
bile garages has attracted considerah,.
attention from careful underwriters
and the argument is advanced that !,
careful study Of the causes of surh
fires might lead to some action ,h,t
would bring about better conditions
one Of the large agency companies that
Keeps in close tcurh with An nuaeeg ~
the nre Underwriting situation has
compiled the following data Of those
| classes Of fires which win i,+ funni If
interest:
Workman was using an -lrctri.
drill underneath an automobile. The
gasoline feed pipe was struck acct
| dentally, making a hole IN. escap-
! ing gasoline was ignted by the spark
ing Of the armature on the drill Loss
severe - the building and machines.
short circuit III The electrical an
paratus of a gasoline car resulted IN
the destruction Of five automobiles. Tie
garage and surrounding houses and
barns.
Machine broke down and caught fire
from lantern used T. hun; the trouble
>'ol al otoIhsoC uIts5 IL ltth anu tllt
gasoline was ignited by nearby light.
Electric spark on apparatus ignitei
gasoline fumes.
Tank OF Il car was pierced by piece
Of pipe which flew up on the road
the escaping gasoline was igniel pre-
sun1abiy by the sparkling vibrator, re
sulting in an explosion.
Garage destroyed as n result Of an
employe dropping a match into a pool
Of water caused by overflow from
sewer and heavily coated with oil
lncandescent light bulb. accidentally
dropped. broke and ignted gasoline
used for cleaning several cars.
Gasoline leaked from car tank 10
pile Of shavings and was gnited by
a nearby light.
Careless dropping of match in garage
ignited intiammables floor ;nd
caused $4,000 loss. Same cause re
suited in bad fire in another city.
Spontaneous combustion of waste
and rags used in cleaning and paint
and 100000 in another.
Burning brush in rear of a stable
Ignited fues of tank belonging to ad-
jacent garage, destroying the latter. III
Defective electric wires in the build
ing caused serious fire.
Car standing in street burned from
cigarette butt carclessly flicked aside
by passerby. y
Drunken owner attempted to. fill hisJ
car tank with lamps burning; Usual
result -
Gasoline used for cleaning automo-s
biles with open lights in roo1li.ss
expected happened. y
Pilot light on a steam car set xiga IN
the car. ssssEs ~
Workman set fire to car with
was using.
Employc struck a match tori
| lamps while tank was being=sf2asd.
| The explosion and subsequent7Nre,
ruined building and contents. W
Cap was accidentally left off gas0-
\ line tank on ear and spark from par
lor match used in lighting lamps f1e"
into the filling hole. Explosion ana
| bad loss.
| Employe struck a match to light
| lamps while tank was being filled. The
explosion and subsequent fire ruined
building and contents.
| Cap was accidentally left off gaso-
| line tank on car and spark from par
lor match used in lighting lamps flew
into the filling hole. Explosion ana
bad loss.
Employe was filling car tank from
| vessel of the water pot type.
portable lamp hanging on the car :"
light the operator fell and broke. me
rapidly consumed filament ignited 'i'
gasoline fumes. Loss. $I5.ooo
/ Man stepped on match. lghi'i'h
waste Negro boy mistaking pan u
| gasoline for water threw 1t on the mr.
Garage destroyed.
| Workman in automobile repair r"""'
stepped on a match which iGnited ~
tlammables. Entire building des-
| troyed.
Employee, working under machino
with electric light, accidentally Din
the bulb Gasoline from flooding ca
buretor was ignited by the iilaheh'.
Total loss to q garage from = ilo
caused by short circuit in an eiec''N
automobile.
Cigar stub laid on machine anu -
gotten caused bad fire.
Pail Of gasoline ignited by e"P'''e
| who smoked near.
In addition to the above many caa..
have come to our notice OF iiie' -,
| private and public garages "nei
cause has been given as caie'o
| with matches, smokers. open iaip
floodin. carburetor, explosions e.o'
but where the exact manner III Wiz.
the fire started was not indicated -
examples given. however serV7 ~ Ne
the readiness with which hres 'nay
started, and they are generai,y .,a,.
owing to the nature Of the i''a'e''a
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