Fire Grenades: Victorian Fire Extinguishers

An early form of fire extinguisher popular in the late 1800s was the fire grenade. The grenade resembled a regular glass bottle or a modern electric bulb, but larger, and filled with salt water. They were kept in wall-mounted metal brackets in Victorian homes, or any place handy, from where they could be quickly grabbed and thrown at the base of the fire. The glass bulb shattered on contact and the water contained inside helped to extinguish the flames. Salt water was chosen instead of plain water because salt water has a lower freezing point. This kept the water liquid even in severe winter. Some grenades were fitted with a spring-loaded trigger that dispersed the water like a sprinkler.

Fire Grenades

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Source: amusingplanet.com

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