Fires have happened throughout history, some you may know, some you may not. Here are Three Historic Fires In London! 

The frozen fire at butler’s wharf

In 1931 firefighters battled with flames and frozen temperatures. To tackle the fire roughly 1,100 firefighters arrived. The warehouse on fire had large stocks of tea and rubber, the fire burnt throughout the day and night leaving a smell of burnt rubber.

The fire wasn’t extinguished for several days.

The unbearably cold conditions made the blaze difficult to tackle. The water froze as it ran down the wall and sheets of ice spread across the roads. The cold temperature meant they had to wrap hoses in blankets to hold them.

The king’s crossfire

On November 18th 1987 the London Underground experienced the worst fire to date. A lit match was dropped on the wooden escalators at Kings Cross underground that caused the fire. 150 firefighters and 30 fire engines attended the scene. The changes made after this fire were; 

• replacing the wooden escalators,
• the smoking ban extends to all station areas 
• improved radio communications between firefighters.

Great Fire of London

This historic fire, the majority of you will know. In 1666 the fire destroyed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, the royal exchange and st Pauls cathedral. Many of the buildings were made from timber and covered in a flammable substance called pitch. Houses were packed closely together, many with sheds and yards containing hay and straw. The previous summer had caused a drought and had dried out the wooden houses.

The fire began in a bakers shop on Pudding Lane. A fire was left and at 1 am that house was an inferno. A previous fire had destroyed a section of the London Bridge, therefore, the fire couldn’t reach the south of the river. 

There was no organised fire brigade and firefighting was very basic with little skill or knowledge. Using leather buckets, axes and water to fight the fire which had little effect. To stop the fire they pulled down and blew up houses in the path of the fire to stop it spreading.

Ultimately this began the of assembling the first fire brigades. 

Want more information on historic fires click here

The fireplace has always been a focal point of the room, providing warmth and aesthetic value. But what if your fireplace could be used for travel!

In Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, we are introduced to the Floo Network system which relies on fireplaces for quick transport. This mode of transport is similar to Network Rail but much better. Even if this is imaginary it still makes for an interesting read!

The Floo Network is a safer mode of transport and it can easily transport children, the elderly and sick.

Floo Powder

This substance is a silver powder invented in the 13th century, which you can buy in Diagon Alley, however, the owners are renowned for never answering the door.

The price has remained the same, two sickles a scoop which is 58p. The exact ingredients are a closely guarded secret.

How it works

To use the Floo Network, chose your destination, grab some Floo powder and throw into the fireplace and green flames should appear. Upon entering, state your destination. You’ll be there in no time!

The Floo Network is generally reliable. However, speaking the name of the destination loudly and clearly upon entering the fireplace is difficult, due to ash, heat and panic.

Nearly every witch or wizard home is connected to the Floo Network. The fireplace can be disconnected with a simple spell but connection requires you to register with the ministry of magic. Once connected you can travel to any fireplace in the world as long as it is registered.

Not to worry as non-magic folk fireplaces can’t be connected unless in an emergency so you can still use Firemizer in your fireplace!

As the weather is forecast for a wet weekend it’s perfect English barbeque weather after all! Why not BBQ with Firemizer!

Everyone loves a BBQ, the smell of the food cooking and enjoying a nice evening in the garden. If you want some BBQ inspiration check out our blog on BBQs around the world! 

To get your BBQ to cooking temperature 20% faster here are some of our top tips!

BBQ With Firemizer

Simply place it on the base of your BBQ, place the coals on top, and start it like normal and see the difference. It’ll get your coals hotter much faster, help them to burn more efficiently and last up to a third longer, and reduce any harmful pollutants emitted by 72%. The only way to BBQ is a BBQ with firemizer!

Using Firebuilder

why not try using Firebuilder to start your fire? With no kerosene, the food will be free from any harmful chemicals to keep your food tasting great. Just break the cardboard brick, light the edges, place it on top of your solid fuel and let the fire burn downwards.

Grilling Meats

1. Beef = ground beef cook at 71°C Fahrenheit, steaks cook at 62°C. Use direct heat for chops and steaks. Use indirect heat for roasts and larger cuts of beef.
2. Chicken = chicken breast and legs cook at 73°C. For thick pieces of meat cook over direct heat, larger pieces over indirect heat.
3. Pork = sausages cooked at 73°C while pork chops cook at 62°C. Start cooking sausages on high heat so the outside is nice and charred then move to a cover part of the grill to finish off.
4. Seafood = salmon or shrimp cook at 62°C. Oil the grill well to reduce sticking. 

For more tips and great advice check out this article