220 Sir Frederick Abel [March 13, 



within a very brief space of time after the vessel broke, a sheet of 

 flame flashed from the gas jet along the upper part of the room, to 

 the spot where the fluid lay scattered. 



The origin of a fire which occurred at some mineral oil stores at 

 Exeter in 1882, affords another striking illustration of the great 

 rapidity with which the vapour of petroleum spirit will diffuse itself 

 throuf^h the air. The store which caught fire, and which contained 

 both petroleum oil and spirit, or benzoline, was one of a range of 

 arched caves upon the bank of a canal, being separated from it by a 

 roadway about 50 feet wide. It was a standing rule at the stores 

 that no light should be taken to any one containing benzoline. The 

 benzoline casks were to be removed from this store, and the foreman, 

 desirous of beginning the work early, and forgetful of the rule, went 

 to the store shortly before daylight, carrying a lighted lantern, which 

 he placed upon the ground at a distance of several feet from the doors. 

 He then proceeded to open these. As he did so, he noticed a very 

 powerful odour of benzoline and, almost immediately, he saw a flash 

 of flame proceed from the lantern to the store. He had just turned 

 to escape, when an explosion occurred which blew the doors and the 

 lantern across the canal ; the benzoline in the store was at once inflamed, 

 and flowed out into the road and upon the surface of the water, firing 

 a small vessel which lay against the quay, and setting fire to the 

 stores of benzoline contained in two neighbouring caves. 



Many exemplifications might be cited of the danger arising from 

 the accidental spilling or escape of petroleum spirit (or even of oils of 

 very low flashing point) in the ordinary course of dealing w4th these 

 liquids, as in stores where there is but very imperfect ventilation, 

 and in some part of which a flame exists, or is carelessly introduced; 

 or, from the escape of spirit or its vapour from stores or receptacles 

 to adjacent spaces where, its existence being unsuspected, the ignition 

 of the resulting explosive mixture of vapour and air may be at any 

 time brought about. 



Without referring to accidents which have been due to flagrant 

 carelessness in introducing a flame or striking a light in a store where 

 petroleum vapour is likely to exist in the air, or where some form of 

 spirit has been accidentally spilled, a few instances may be quoted 

 which illustrate the magnitude of casualties liable to arise from the 

 causes just referred to. Some years ago an explosion productive of 

 much damage occurred in a sewer at Greenwich, and was clearly 

 traced to the entrance into the sewer of some petroleum products 

 (from a neighbouring patent gas factory) ; the vapours from these had 

 diffused themselves through the air in tlic sewer to a considerable 

 distance, forming with it an explosive mixture which must have been 

 accidentally ignited at one of the sewer openings in the street above. 

 Last spring a similar accident occurred at Newport in Monmouth- 

 shire, a quantity of benzoline having escaped into a sewer from a 

 neighbouring store ; the ignition of the resulting explosive mixture 

 of vapour and air, with which a considerable length of the sewer 



