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A (Literal) Blast from the Past

sarah49491
barn fire

If you’ve ever wandered through an older barn or antique shop, you may have spotted a brightly colored glass bottle filled with a mysterious liquid and capped with a cork. These intriguing orbs, known as fire grenades or firebombs, are early precursors to modern fire extinguishers and offer a fascinating glimpse into historical fire prevention methods, a time when safety standards were more lax, and people often relied on experimental solutions. But what exactly is the liquid inside, and how can such a small glass bottle combat a fire?



Fire grenade
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Early versions of fire grenades contained a mixture of saltwater that was meant to be thrown on top of fires. As the grenade’s popularity grew, the liquid inside also changed. The most common versions of fire grenades evolved to contain a chemical mixture of carbon tetrachloride. Carbon tetrachloride was proven to be very successful at stopping fires, however the dangers of heating this chemical were not well known at that time. Carbon tetrachloride, when exposed to high temperatures produces phosgene gas, a chemical weapon used in World War I.  Besides the potentially lethal chemical inside, the globes were incredibly fragile as they were meant to easily shatter.


The mounting design of some globes varied. Some firebombs were placed in a holder to be manually picked up and thrown. In other models, the globe was held in place by a mounting system that would launch the globe when a metal plug was melted due to heat. This meant that if a fire had broken out, the rising heat would melt the metal plug releasing the spring tension and the globe would be thrown into the room, effectively providing fire protection while no one was present.


fire grenade
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As technology grew, the need for fire grenades lessened and eventually they became obsolete. However, fire grenades are not just quirky relics of the past; they showcase the ingenuity and resourcefulness of earlier times. While we’ve come a long way in modern fire safety, these glass globes remind us of a time when every household had to be prepared to fight flames with whatever they had on hand. Next time you spot one in an antique shop or an old barn, take a moment to appreciate the history behind it and the innovative spirit that aimed to protect lives and property long before today’s technology.






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