1912 : Petoskey Smoker Sets Garage and Car on Fire

With a burning cigar in his mouth, Harry Cooper, employee of Smith’s Garage, started to pour five gallons of gasoline into the tank of Dr. R. D. Engle’s car this evening. The fumes exploded and all of the gasoline ignited, burning the walls of the garage and setting the car afire. The flames were smothered before the arrival of the fire company. Cooper who was uninjured, says he has sworn off smoking.

For the full article, see “Smokes Cigar as He Pours Gasoline; Petoskey Man Sears Off After Explosing and Setting Fire to Garage and Car”, Detroit Free Press, September 12, 1912, p. 12. Access restricted to the MSU Community and other Proquest Historical Newspapers subscribers.