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Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 116, 2 June 1937, Page 7

While water is commonly used for fighting fires, straugoly, it causos indircctly a large share of farm tlros, Dr. David J. Price, fife and explosion spOcialist of the United States Buffeau of CheMistry and SoilS, recently told a gathering of Pennsylvania Jiremen. Fire caused by water, Dr. Price explained, is better known under ■ more tochfiical name — spontaneous ignition. Bacteriological ohemical action infiuenced by water is likely to cause the ignition of hay, cattle feeds, fertiliscrs qnd other farm products when storCd in barns, farm buildings or any other kind of storage place. The bureau's flies contain many strange stories of such fircs, he said. One rccord lells of an ice houso burning to tho ground aftcr the sawdust had becomc wot from a heavy rain followed by a poriod of warm weather. The firo startcd by spontaneous ignition.