How Fires are Caused.
That fires are often caused by rats eating wax matches there is very little doubt. The following on the subject appears m the Wwikato Times : — " Most people are somewhat sceptical, when reading a report of a firo, to see the cause attributed to rats eating matches. Yesterday a package reached us that had been fouud on removing an old store at JNgaruawahia. The contents of the parcel were evidently the nest of a rat. as the skeletons of three young members of that family who hud met with an untimely end (probably at the great flood of '75 ) were found amongst the heap of rubbish, which was enough to fill an ordinary-sized hat. The remainder was composed of wax vestas m all stages of preparation for nest making. Some had been simply decapitated, but the bulk had been well worked up into a soft cottony mass, and it is wonderful that no fire occurred, if it be at all possible for rats to fire matches during the process of eating off the heads of them."
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS18840616.2.23
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 170, 16 June 1884, Page 3
Word Count
179How Fires are Caused. Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 170, 16 June 1884, Page 3
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in