The police have just issued their usual fireworks warnings about the dangers of Guy Fawkes night.
Throughout history fireworks conflagrations have often been the result of astonishing carelessness. When a fireworks manufacturer’s powder store in Spitalfields, London, caught fire and blew up in 1815, totally destroying three houses, wrecking four others and killing at least nine people, it was reported: “The fire is said to have been occasioned by Mr Lichileau (the firework manufacturer) striking a light to look for some squibs...”
Dr A D Harvey 273 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16
